Rock-a-Bye
by Ceara Ivory
Summary: When Sonia reveals to Bartleby that she is pregnant with his baby, the rich mink has to face some hard truths. Unable to tell her brothers because of their opinion of Bartleby, and unable to legally be together because of Robotnik, the lovers decide the only option is to runaway together. However, it won't be that easy, running from the Fastest Thing Alive and an entire army.
1. Prologue

RABPro

Rock-a-Bye

Summary: When Sonia reveals to Bartleby that she is pregnant with his baby, the rich mink has to face some hard truths. Unable to tell her brothers because of their opinion of Bartleby, and unable to legally be together because of Robotnik, the lovers decide the only option is to runaway together. However, it won't be that easy, running from the Fastest Thing Alive and an entire army.

Prologue

Sonia Hedgehog; daughter of Queen Aleena, triplet sister of Sonic and Manic Hedgehog, formerly the ward of Lady Wyndimere, she had many titles. But if you asked her which one she liked best, she would be unable to tell you, for it was a secret. Only one person in all of Mobius would ever call her by this title.

Laying in a large four-poster bed, her head on his chest, gentle, loving fingers running through her hair, she smiled contentedly. "My Sonia, my love," he would whisper as he caressed her.

She looked up into his deep green eyes. "My Bartleby," she whispered back, her fingers running along the path of his chests, treasuring their closeness. "It will be dawn soon."

His eyes went to the window. "Do you really have to leave?"

Sonia sighed. "Oh Bartleby, you ask me every time. You know I have to. My brothers will wonder where I am if they wake up and I'm not there. They nearly caught me last time. And if Robotnik finds out about us..." she left the fear unfinished.

The mink held her hand, placing tender kisses upon it. "I miss you when you go though. You could always let me speak to Dr. Robotnik for you. I know he would give you a pardon if I asked, then we could be together."

"Bartleby, someday soon we will be together," she promised. "It's why I have to fight, for that day."

He knew he would not win. They had this discussion every time and she was unwavering in her convictions. He supposed she might not be the same hedgehog he loved so dearly if she gave in, though. He didn't want to admit it but her part in the Resistance brought out a side to her that he couldn't get enough of.

Therefore, instead of pressuring her further, he reluctantly let her go and got out of bed with her, putting his robe about him while she dressed. "You will be careful my darling?" he asked as he walked her to the door. "You won't force me to hear that you've been roboticized? Or worse?"

She kissed him in reply. "I promise, Bartleby, I'll be careful."

He stared off after her as she left his suddenly lonely mansion.

That was three weeks ago, Sonia thought as she stood in the bathroom at the base waiting. In a small cup, a thin stick-like device sat. She looked at her watch with anticipation. She was unsure what she wanted the answer to be. If it was no, how would she feel? If it was yes, what would she do?

When the three minutes had elapsed, at last, Sonia pulled the test from the cup. Two thin pink lines stared her in the face.

AN: Yes another pregnancy plotline. However this time, that is the MAIN focus of this story. How will our lovers deal with this big change?


	2. Chapter 1

RAB1

Does anyone know any good songs about learning you're having a baby and the emotions that go with it, I'm building a playlist so I can keep in the mood.

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 1

Sonia sat in the kitchen, staring at the test in her hands. How would this affect her role in the Resistance? What would her brothers say? What would Bartleby say? She would have to tell him first. Would he be happy or upset? How was she going to tell him?

The sound of the door broke Sonia from her thoughts. She had just enough time to stash the test in her pocket before Sonic and Manic came in.

"Hey sis, you missed a great time," Manic said. "The kids missed ya too."

Her brothers had gone to Sanctuary, where Resistance hid their families. The kids seemed to really like Sonia, possibly because, to many of them, she was the only female presence in their lives. When they found out, Sonic and Manic would probably insist she go into hiding at Sanctuary. Would they let Bartleby visit her or would they have killed Bartleby for touching her?

"I'm sorry guys, you know I haven't been feeling well," she said contritely. It was true. The last week had been murder. "I didn't want to take the chance I was contagious."

Sonic nodded. It made sense. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, a lot better. Um, would you guys mind if I went out tonight? We don't have any missions on the schedule for tonight right?" She wondered if she could even participate in a mission now.

"Nope, not tonight. You go have fun," Sonic told her. "Just be careful, Robotnik's upping the Swat-Butt patrols in this sector."

She nodded. That was fine, she wouldn't be in this sector. "K, I don't know what time I'll be back but it might not be back until late." She warned as she dashed out of the safe house, hopping on her motorcycle and driving a lot slower than she was used to.

Sonic and Manic watched after her as she drove off. She sure was acting weird.

Bartleby Montclair sat in his favorite easy chair, a steaming cup of his favorite tea arousing his olfactory senses. "Mmm," he sipped. "Rosebud tea..."

The ring of the doorbell interrupted his relaxation time and he placed the cup down on the table. "Coming," he called. There were few people who would ring his doorbell and all of them required him to answer it himself.

Looking through the peephole, he was pleasantly surprised to see Sonia. He pulled the door open, just barely catching her as she leaped at him. Her arms encircled his shoulders and her lips covered his. He eagerly returned the kiss.

" To what do I owe this delightful surprise," he asked as they needed air. He led her into the parlor. "Tea, my darling?"

"No thank you Bartleby. I have something for you." She held a pastel pink and blue gift bag she had picked up on her way.

The mink took the bag with a bright smile. "Oh Sonia, a gift for me? You shouldn't have my darling?"

She shrugged as he fumbled with the tissue paper to reach inside. "Actually, I just couldn't help myself. I hope you'll like it."

As he pulled out the item in the bag, he kissed her. "My Sonia, I'd love you gave me." He looked at the stick in his hand. "Um...Sonia..." his eyes found the double pink lines. "Is this?" She just nodded as he fumbled. "Are you, are we? Are you sure?"

"That's what the two lines mean," she replied.

He was beside her in all of two seconds, hugging her tight. "Oh Sonia, this is marvelous! This is wonderful!"

A good part of her anxiety over the situation fled with his glee. "Really?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. "Of course it is! This is a baby, this is the start of our family, of our life together. Oh, we have so much to do to get ready. I'll call my contractor and decorator to get started on the nursery. You'll need to tell the Resistance of course. It would simply be barbaric not to at least give notice. I'll go see Dr. Robotnik and talk to him about a pardon for you."

Sonia stopped him. "Wait, Robotnik, pardon? Bartleby, I can't just leave the Freedom Fighters and even if I did, Robotnik will not just let me go."

He stared at her incredulously. "And you can't possibly think you're going to keep fighting in your condition. It was different before, darling. I let you fight because I respected that it was your choice. But now, we're talking about the welfare of our child. Just a simple fall in the wrong place could have tragic consequences." Fear filled his face as a nightmarish vision of something happening to his Sonia and his baby. "No, absolutely not! No!"

Sonia hugged him comfortingly. "Okay Bartleby, you're right about that, I can't fight like this. But...the Freedom Fighters has a place I can go, some place safe."

"And hide you away from me," Bartleby wasn't happy about that idea either. "I know how your Resistance friends see me, Sonia. They'll hide you away from me and forbid me to even see you or our baby. Your own brothers hate me, Sonia. I don't want to be sitting here wondering how our child is growing up. I want to be there. Trust me, Sonia. I will pay whatever price Robotnik asks for a pardon for you, so that we can marry and raise our baby together."

She sighed. "Bartleby he'll just take your money and roboticize me anyway."

"Please Sonia, let me at least talk to him. If I have any hint that he'll betray me, then we'll come up with another plan. But I've known him too long to not at least give him the chance to do the right thing," Bartleby told her. "I won't tell him why. I'll say you've had a falling out with the Resistance and you've decided to remain neutral."

"Bartleby...right thing and Robotnik just doesn't go together," Sonia shook her head. "But...I trust you. Talk to Robotnik but don't just believe him blindly if he agrees. Because I'm willing to bet any price that he accepts the moment he hears money's involved. It doesn't mean he'll keep his end of the deal."

He kissed her. "Don't you worry about a thing my darling." He looked at his clock. "It's still early, I'll go see him right now. End the suspense. You wait here. I'll be back, an hour tops."

AN: Will Robotnik accept Bartleby's offer? Well, that's a foolish question. Will he accept the offer AND hold his end up? That is the question.

The reasoning behind Bartleby's trust in Robotnik is that Robotnik hasn't screwed him over, yet (this is set before Bartleby the Prisoner) and the mink sees him as a friend (loosely).

What do you think of the way she told him?


	3. Chapter 2

RAB2

If you take the time to read, please let me know what you think.

I really love these two. Sonic Underground was mostly sci-fi action and Sonia and Bartleby gave some much needed levity and light-heartedness. And the story of two lovers on opposite sides of a terrible war, it's a classic, timeless motif. I love how through everything, she still loves him and when push comes to shove, he will put her first. Romeo et Juliet if you will, but with a happier ending.

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 2

Bartleby approached the royal palace with no small amount of nervousness. He had promised Sonia that his money would be enough to get Robotnik to let her off for her crimes. He hoped he was right. Robotnik was notable for his vindictive nature. He wondered how he might know for sure if he could trust Robotnik. Sighing, he said a small prayer to whatever deity might hear him for a sign as he announced himself to the Swat-Bots.

Robotnik was noticeably irritated by the uninvited Bartleby, but that didn't deter the nobleman. "Bartleby, what brings you to my humble abode this evening?" Robotnik forced a congenial tone. This was his best contributor.

"A matter of great importance, Your Grace," Bartleby decided he could afford to be a little more respectful. Anything to increase his chances of a favorable and truthful answer. "I come on behalf of Sonia Hedgehog." He carefully refrained from referring to her as Princess.

Robotnik frowned. "Bartleby..."

"I'll be frank with you, Your Excellency, I love her. She loves me and we want to be together," Bartleby explained. "But she is concerned that you will want her roboticized even if she chose to remain neutral, simply because she is Queen Aleena's daughter."

Robotnik stood up straighter. "Are you trying to say she wants to leave the Resistance?"

"Yes. I am prepared to pay whatever price you ask to take the bounty off of her head and double the annual tribute I currently pay you," Bartleby sighed. There, his cards were on the table, the offer made.

The tyrant considered the offer or appeared to. "And why, pray tell, does she suddenly wish to defect?"

"She's simply had a falling out with the Resistance and we can no longer bear this separation," Bartleby explained.

Several tense moments passed between the two before finally Robotnik nodded. "Very well, however the price is very steep. 10,000,000 mobiums."

Bartleby pulled his checkbook from his pocket and wrote it out without a sign of protest. "10,000,000 mobiums." He placed the check before Robotnik.

Robotnik eyed the check greedily. "And one more thing, Bartleby. I will require her to come in, alone, to sign the forms for her royal pardon."

When Robotnik said those words, somehow, Bartleby knew this was the sign he was looking for. He knew that Robotnik had no intention of letting Sonia go. Well, he could keep the money, he would need the time he thought he believed him to come up with a different plan.

Sonia had refrained, wisely, from saying "I told you so" and suggested talking to her brothers. Perhaps they would trust Bartleby and allow him to join her at the Sanctuary.

Sonic and Manic were playing a new video game, just chilling out, when she got back to the base. In her hand she held a large bag of chili dogs, paid for by Bartleby. The smell got Sonic's attention instantly.

"Whoa, hey chilidogs!" Sonic dashed for the table. "Thanks sis."

Manic put up the game system and joined them. "I thought you weren't going to be back until later."

"Yes, well, I did what I needed to do and now I want to talk to you guys," Sonia started.

"About what?" Sonic asked as he shoved three dogs into his mouth at once.

She sighed. What would they say? "About Bartleby, who by the way, bought dinner," she indicated the small feast of chilidogs.

Manic looked at the dogs. "Why? What did he do now?"

"Sis, you're not about tell us he got himself into trouble with Robotnik again are you?" Sonic asked. "We can't keep saving his butt. That fop needs to either change sides or watch himself."

She shook her head. "It's not that Sonic."

"Bartleby, what a loser," Manic droned. "What did you ever see in him sis?"

She glared. "He's not a loser Manic! Yeah, he deals with Robotnik, but have you stopped to think how easily he could have handed us in, several times. With such a bounty on our heads. And he's never even considered it. You don't know Bartleby like I do!"

"I know that many of his "dealings" has gotten hundreds of Freedom Fighters caught and roboticized," Sonic stated matter-of-factly.

Sonia sighed. "You know what, I'm not going to get anywhere with you. So forget it. Let's just eat and go to bed. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

That night, when she was sure her brothers were asleep, Sonia slipped from her bed. She had to get back to the mansion.

The moon was rising over the Montclair Mansion. In the back of the home waited a small personal aircraft. Bartleby was loading the trunk with a few packed bags.

"Bartleby, are you sure you want to do this?" Sonia asked as they loaded into the vehicle. "Give up the life you're used to. Your titles and lands and money?"

The blonde nodded, turning sincere green eyes on her. "It'll be hard but I want to be there during this time. I want to be a part of our baby's life from now until he's an adult. And I want to be with you. I can give this up, but I can't give you up."

Sonia kissed her mink lover. "Thank you Bartleby." She didn't want to be separated from him anymore than he did. She put the key in the ignition and they lifted off from the patio, flying off into the night.

AN: Short, I know, but I'm exhausted tonight so need to go to bed early.


	4. Chapter 3

RAB3

Muscle spasm not letting me sleep so I'm just gonna write this out.

Chapter 3

When Sonic got up the next morning, well before his younger brother, the first thing he noticed was the conspicuous absence of running water from inside the bathroom. Sonia was routinely awake before them and her first ritual every morning was what she called her "Morning Toilette."

"Hmm, maybe she's already done and getting breakfast," Sonic went out to the kitchen. Sonia wasn't there either. "Sonia?" A thorough check of the base revealed no sign of Sonia. Sonic went back to the bedroom and shook Manic. "Manic, wake up," he called to his brother.

The green hedgehog moaned, opening his eyes. "Sonic, what is it?"

"Sonia, she's missing!"

Robotnik sent his two henchmen, Sleet and Dingo, to cash the check the next morning. Sleet was amused by the story Robotnik told him.

"That Bumblebee, I think he may be dumber than Dingo," he pointed at his partner as they waited in line at the teller.

"Why is that Sleet?" Dingo asked.

"He really thinks Robotnik is going to let that Sophia go that easily," Sleet told him.

"Um, you mean Sonia, right Sleet?"

Sleet rolled his eyes. "Of course I mean Sonia you moron. Robotnik is expecting Bartleby to send her to him, to sign a pardon. When she arrives, she'll be taken straight to the roboticizer." It was their turn next and he handed the check to the teller.

Dingo pouted. "Poor Sonia..."

"Poor Sonia my foot, Dingo. She is the enemy, remember that."

"Um sir," the teller began. "There's a problem. This check has been canceled and the account closed."

Sonic and Manic split up to search Robotropolis for any sign of their sister. They hit all of her favorite haunts and Freedom Fighter friends to see if they'd seen her. Finally they had searched everywhere and all with no luck.

"Where could she have gone Manic? We've looked everywhere." Sonic wiped his brow, worried for their sister.

Manic thought about their conversation the night before. "Um, not everywhere Sonic..."

Sonic realized Manic was right. There was still one place they hadn't tried. "Bartleby! He'll know where she is!" Sonic grabbed Manic's hand and took off at his highest speeds for the hilltop mansion. Sonic buzzed the intercom. No one answered.

"Sonic, look. Does this place seem strange to you?" Manic asked. "As in strangely quiet?"

Sonic observed the grounds and the house. "It looks dark in there. Come on bro, let's go check it out." Sonic sped onto the grounds with his brother and up to the house. Sonic banged on the door. _"Yo, Bartlebutt, open up!"_ His banging caused the door to swing open. "It's unlocked? Does Bartleby not believe in thieves? Um, speaking of which, keep your hands off, Manic." He warned as they went in.

Manic glared at his brother. "Yeah yeah bro, I get it."

"_Sonia!"_ Sonic called through the mansion. _"Answer us!"_

The house was dark inside as it looked, and very quiet. Too quiet.

"Sonic! Look here, I found somethin'," Manic called to his brother. He was standing at a small table. A letter sat beneath the keyboard medallion. "Sis was definitely here." He handed Sonic the letter.

Sonic read it aloud:

_Ðear Sonic and Manic,  
I'm sorry but Bartleby and I have decided to elope. We just couldn't stand this separation any longer. What's the point in fighting for freedom when we cannot be free to share our love. I tried to tell you last night that Bartleby wanted to join the Resistance, if it meant we could be together, but your attitudes and unwillingness to listen told me everything I needed to know about that. Please don't try to find us. Oh, and Bartleby says to sell everything. He doesn't want Robotnik to get his hands on anything that could go the Resistance. I'm sorry guys, but I just love Bartleby too much to do this anymore. If you find Mother, tell her I'm sorry but my heart just won't let this go.  
Love,  
Your Sister_

"Bummer Majores!" Sonic declared. "I can't believed she did this! And if Bartleby wanted to join us, why didn't she just say so?"

Manic scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, we didn't exactly have a lot of nice things to say last night. But still, how could she do this? We need her."

Sonic shook his head. "This is weird Manic, mondo weird. Why didn't she just tell us she was having so much trouble with this?"

Manic shrugged. "I didn't know she liked him that much. No wonder she was so defensive. But it still doesn't explain why they would just run off together out of the blue."

"Something's wrong Manic," Sonic stated simply. "Something she didn't feel safe sharing with us. It's not like her to just abandon us and especially Mom. She wanted to find her as much as either of us do."

The sound of a ship landing interrupted them. "It's Sleet and Dingo, hide!"

They hid themselves just in time as Sleet and Dingo entered the dark mansion. "BURPLEBY!" Sleet shouted. "You are under arrest for treason!" He looked about. "GET OUT HERE YOU PATHETIC NOBLE!"

Sonic and Manic looked at each other. Bartleby? Under arrest? For treason? Did this have something to do with him allegedly wanting to join the Resistance?

Sleet and Dingo searched the mansion as they had. "There's no one here Sleet."

"I can see that you dipstick," Sleet bit out a curse. Robotnik would not be happy about this. "First he says she wants to leave the Resistance, pays for a pardon but then he cancels the check, withdraws his money, closes his bank account and just disappears. This makes no sense."

Sonic and Manic gaped. Bartleby had tried to buy a pardon for Sonia from Robotnik? Why? Why would she suddenly want to give in to Robotnik? There were just too many questions.

Dingo scratched his temple. "Maybe he figured out Robotnik was gonna roboticize her anyway."

"How? ESP? Well, we better go back and report. We'll get nothing done by staying here," Sleet led the way out.

"Sonic, this is...I can't even begin to understand this," Manic said in a confused tone. "The letter says Bartleby wanted to join us. But they said he went to Robotnik because she wanted to leave us."

"And then he stops the payment, I didn't even know he could do that," Sonic puzzled and puzzled til his puzzler was sore. "Whatever's going on, sounds like they're going to have Sleaze and Dingbat hunting them down. Sorry sis, but you might just need our help."

It was going on midmorning and the two lovers were still airbound. Sonia was the one flying as Bartleby didn't know where they were going.

"Ooo, Bartleby, would you be a dear and hand me one of those sandwiches," she asked.

The mink rummaged in a small cooler they had packed for the journey and pulled out a sandwich. "Are you sure about this place you were talking about?" he asked as he unwrapped it for her.

She smiled her thanks as she took the ham and cheese from him. "Yes. We'll be perfectly safe. No one will think to come looking for us there. And I'm pretty sure he'll let us stay."

Bartleby cocked his head. "He?"

"A friend, dear, he protects the island and he's helped us against Robotnik a few times," Sonia explained between bites. She looked at her watch. "Sonic and Manic will know we're gone by now."

Bartleby nodded. "Yes and Robotnik will have discovered how I respond to betrayal. They'll be looking for us soon. Are you having regrets?"

She shook her head. "Surprisingly, no. As much as I have a duty to the Underground and to Mother, I have another duty, one that is much more important. To my heart." She pointed directly ahead. "There it is, the Floating Island."

AN: Why does Sonia just tell her brothers in the note about her pregnancy? Because they don't want Robotnik to know and they had no way of knowing who would find the note first. So why didn't they just leave the note at the Rebel Base? To give them much more of a head start. Remember, they're racing the Fastest Thing Alive. Why are they going to the Floating Island? Find out next chapter.

Please leave a contribution in the little box (gestures to Review/Comment field).


	5. Chapter 4

RAB4

Rock-a-Bye

Knuckles the Echidna was feeding his pet dinosaur when the communicator at his primitive control panel went off.

"Aircraft to Knuckles, aircraft to Knuckles."

Knuckles raced to the radio. That was Sonia. As he picked up the receiver, he scanned the skies for the aircraft. There, directly ahead of him. "Sonia, I read you."

"Knuckles, we need your help," Sonia stated. "Request permission to land."

"Permission. There's a landing path right in front of you." Knuckles wondered what was going on. Was Robotnik up to something with a Chaos Emerald again. No matter, it would be good to see his friends, and her, again.

The small aircraft descended onto the landing path, the landing gear coming into place as it neared the ground. Like the expert pilot she was, Sonia brought the plane to perfect halt just yards from the Chaos guardian.

Knuckles ran forward to greet Sonia as she and a strange mink climbed out. "Sonia, what are you doing here? Where is Sonic and Manic? Are they okay?"

Sonia nodded and gave him a friendly hug. "Yes Knuckles they are okay. We need your help though. Do you mind if we hide here for a while?"

Knuckles shook his head. "We? You and your brothers right? Are they coming in a different plane? Who is this?"

Sonia realized Bartleby had come directly behind her and she reached back to hold him. "Knuckles, this is Bartleby. And no Sonic and Manic will not be coming. They don't know I'm here."

Knuckles was confused but held out a hand to Bartleby. "A new member of the Resistance huh? Welcome to the fight and to Angel Island."

Sonia noticed that Knuckles was failing to understand the situation. "No, Knuckles. Bartleby is my..."

"Her fiance," Bartleby interrupted eying the red echidna.

Knuckles felt his heart drop. "Fiance?"

"Yes, Knuckles. Bartleby and I have been together since we were kids. We were separated for a while after I found my brothers and joined the Freedom Fighters but, we've been unofficially back together since just a couple of weeks later," she explained. "But something has happened and we need a place to hide. From Robotnik and my brothers."

"What? Why?" Knuckles asked. "I'm sure they won't care who you choose to date. It's your life." Okay, he was feeling a little upset to learn the girl he had a crush on was already spoken for.

Sonia looked at Bartleby. "I should tell him."

The nobleman nodded. "Of course, my darling."

"Knuckles, I'm pregnant," Sonia stated simply.

Sonic and Manic could think of only one person who might be able to help them find Sonia.

"Hey Oracle!" Sonic called as he and Manic stepped through the magically-veiled cave. "We need your help!"

"In here, young hedgehogs," the voice of their mentor answered from deeper inside the cave.

In his cave, the seer pored through his research. "What brings you here today young ones? Is your sister not with you today?" That was strange. They always came to see him together.

"That's why we came to see you," Manic said. "Sonia's run away." He handed their teacher the letter and the medallion. "With some guy."

"And you're the only one we know who might be able to find her." Sonic was hopeful as the Oracle read the note.

"Hmm," the Oracle of Delphius considered the words in the letter. "I can try, but what will you do if you find her?"

"Bring her home, of course. Her and Bartleby," Sonic said. "Robotnik's gonna be after them too."

The Oracle nodded in understanding. "I will try." The letter glowed as the Oracle focused his magic on the missing sister. A few minutes passed before the glowing faded. "I am sorry, young hedgehogs, I could not locate the Princess. Somehow my magic is blocked."

The hedgehog brothers sighed in disappointment. "What do we do Orac?" Sonic asked. "We've looked everywhere and they could have gone anywhere if they had an aircraft and I wouldn't put it past Bartlebutt to have one."

"Perhaps, young ones, you ought to leave your sister be. She likely does not want to be found," the Oracle advised.

"But it makes no sense Orac," Sonic protested. "This just came up right out of nowhere. We heard Sleet and Dingo say Bartleby tried to buy a pardon for Sonia, from Robotnik, and said she wanted to leave the Resistance. That letter says that he wanted to join us. They can't both be true. We need to find her."

A green hand rest on his impulsive shoulder. "You need to let your sister make her own choices, Sonic. If she comes back, that has to be her choice."

Sonic looked at Manic. The Oracle was right, as usual.

Robotnik was having a terrible time with this perplexing riddle that Sleet and Dingo had brought before him. He was most disappointed that he couldn't even blame them for it. If Bartleby was not there, then they certainly couldn't catch him and bring him in.

"So, Bartleby thinks he can make a fool of Dr. Robotnik does he," Robotnik intoned. "Sleet! Dingo! Put Bartleby on the Most Wanted List! Have the people know that Sir Bartleby Montclair of Dresdin is but a spineless traitor to the regime."

"And," Sleet said. "How much should we say is the reward for his capture?"

"10 million mobiums!"

Dingo thought. "Hey that's what he was gonna pay you, isn't it?"

"Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you'd had enough oxygen at birth?" Sleet quipped. "Don't worry sire, we will find them."

"And that's the whole story," Sonia said as she, Bartleby and Knuckles sat around his fire. Bartleby was looking amusingly out of his element in his nice suit. "I tried to tell Sonic and Manic but, they just can't stand Bartleby for some reason." She cried as she thought about her brothers' attitudes about the man she loved. His hand took hers, squeezing it supportively. "If they knew about the baby, they would take me away from Bartleby and hide me. They would never let us be together. And we want to be together, Knuckles."

Knuckles watched the two in front of him. He was still put out by the revelation that Sonia had a lover and was having his baby but he had been watching the other man closely. As ridiculous as he looked wearing that fancy suit in the middle of a jungle, he really seemed to care about Sonia. "Well, I think you're not giving your brothers enough credit but the two, three, of you are welcome to stay here as long as you want. It'll be nice to have some company for a change. And I think I might also know a cave that you can use as a house."

Sonia sighed. "Thank you Knuckles."

"A cave?" Bartleby asked.

"Remember when I suggested sleeping bags," she smiled at him. She watched his face change noticeably as he realized they'd be sleeping on the ground. "It's not too late Bartleby. You don't have to live like this."

Bartleby kissed her. "No, when I cancelled that payment, I put myself on Robotnik's list. And even if it hadn't, this is what I want. I'm not thrilled with the idea of sleeping on the ground, but I'm sure it won't be so bad. But will it be okay for you and the baby?"

She smiled. He was so sweet to sleep on the ground for her. She just hoped he would be able to handle the harsh, primitive life they had ahead of them. She was about to say so when a large yawn vetoed that idea. "Sorry, I guess I'm a little sleepy."

"And it's no wonder, driving all night, you haven't slept in twenty-four hours," the mink stated.

Knuckles stood up. "Why don't we go find that cave then."

AN: I know you're thinking, are you mad? Doesn't Knuckles have a thing for Sonia? Well, you see that is the idea. And no Bartleby is not going to stay this "perfect." Right now, they're in honeymoon mode. Problems are on the horizon.


	6. Chapter 5

RAB5

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 5

The first morning after their arrival on Angel Island, Bartleby groaned with a pain in his lower back. He and Sonia had spent the night in the sleeping backs they had attached by the zippers, on nothing more than a thick bed of leaves and foliage and the hard stone floor of the cave. He was not used to these conditions. Head Island's luxury hotel had been primitive for him, but this was utterly primordial. He had aches in his back, his shoulders, his legs, everywhere.

"_Have to remember, I want this," _he thought to himself. _"I want to be with her, that means I want this."_ But boy, did it suck. His arms around her, he felt her starting to wake. Quickly, he plastered a smile on his face as her eyes opened and peered into his. "Good morning."

She smiled and snuggled into his warm arms. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby." He lied. "Speaking of which," he looked down at her still flat belly. "Good morning to you too."

"Only a few months, you'll be holding him in your arms to say good morning," she reflected on what awaited them down the road. "Just a few months," She buried her head in his soft chest.

They could have laid there simply cuddling, neither would have minded, but Sonia's pregnant belly reminded her, loudly, that it needed sustenance. She laughed when they heard and felt the noise.

"I guess it's time for breakfast," Bartleby laughed with her as they got up. He couldn't mask a shocked gasp as his back yelled at him for the harsh treatment the night before.

Sonia looked back at him with concern. "Are alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I suppose my body needs to adjust to the new bed, that's all dearest."

Sonia realized that he may have lied about sleeping like a baby. "My poor baby," she said placing her hands on his shoulders and back, rubbing gently to work the kinks loose.

The mink grunted as her hand found a particularly knotted spot. "My Sonia, you really are too good to me." He reached back and found her hand, pulling her around to hold her. His lips covered hers.

When they finally left the cave, after putting on clean clothes, Bartleby realized something. "So, what do we eat for breakfast here?"

Sonia smiled at him. He was really out of his element. "We have fruit on the trees and fish in the lake."

Her lover grimaced. "You mean..."

"Yep," she said. "If we wanna eat, we have to get it ourselves." She laughed at his uncertain expression. "I'll teach you, just like my brothers taught me. We can also try hunting and trapping."

Bartleby sighed. "If you think I'll be any good at it, I'll try." The idea of this work thing scared him.

"Ah, I got one," Bartleby shouted, standing up to pull at the drop line.

Sonia knelt to help him. "Not so fast..." She was too late, the line had snapped.

"Darn!" he cursed. "That's 3 times now, Sonia." He looked at the pile of fish she had already caught with relative ease.

"Bartleby, it's okay, you're new at this," she reassured him. "You'll learn. The trick to fishing is to bring it in slow and steady. You want to move with the fish." She baited the hooks they had improvised with her hairpins. "Watch carefully." She lowered the line into the water. Several minutes passed before the line jerked. "Alright, now I pull the line slowly and carefully." When the line came out, there was a nice fat trout at the end. "Now, try it just like that."

Bartleby did the line exactly as Sonia did it. Her hands rest gently on his, helping him to guide the line. She whispered the instructions. They waited until the line jerked again. "Okay, you got one. Now, gently, carefully, slowly..." The fish popped out of the water at the end of the line. "Good job, now grab it by the bottom of the mouth and take out the hook, WAHHH!"

"AH!" Bartleby's cry joined her as the fish thrashed in his inexperienced hand. It leaped out and landed on the ground, flopping around. He ran after it much to her amusement.

The fish flipped and flopped as Bartleby chased after it until it came upon a small red lizard. The lizard regarded the fish and then Bartleby for a few moments before reaching its neck down and picking up the fish.

"Ohhh, give that back!" the nobleman tried to order the creature. "That's our breakfast."

The creature simply cocked his head before turning and starting off the opposite direction. It walked right into Knuckles.

"Give it back, Chomps!" he commanded in a no-nonsense tone, holding out his hand.

Chomps pouted but dropped the fish into his master's hand. He made a grunting noise before blowing a raspberry at Bartleby and stomping off to find something else to eat. Knuckles picked up the fish. "Sorry about that. "Are you having much luck?"

Bartleby held up the fish. "Got one. Sonia is better at this than me."

"It can be challenging for newbies. It just takes practice and a little luck." Knuckles explained. "You'll get the hang of it."

The mink hoped so. He had never done anything like this before. It was jarring that Sonia was so good at it after only several months. Could he possibly learn as fast as she did.

The days passed slowly at the beginning. Bartleby did NOT know what he was doing. The best he could do reliably was catch perhaps one or two fish per session. He couldn't climb trees, he couldn't swim, he had nearly caught himself on fire and burnt the fish beyond recognition. His clothing was getting torn, destroyed, and unbearable. They could wash in the lake and he did that okay but the clothing would be useless soon.

The nights were not getting any easier. He woke up every morning feeling like he hadn't slept a wink. Sonia would lovingly work out the aches as best she could but it just served to remind him that this life was hard.

What hurt the most was that while he didn't seem to be improving at all, that echidna was able to provide everything Sonia needed when he failed. It bothered him that she didn't seem to notice that this Knuckles had a thing for her. She was completely oblivious to the fact that he was flirting with her. Bartleby felt that Knuckles was trying to show himself to be the better man. How long before Sonia began to see it that way? How long before Sonia began to see him as useless as he knew he was? How long before he was left heartbroken out in the cold?

AN: Trouble in paradise? Keep reading and find out.


	7. Chapter 6

RAB6

Okay. I am in some serious need of feedback. I have a big question and if you're reading, I would really like your opinion. I am not sure exactly where I want this story to go beyond the obvious Sonia and Bartleby have a baby. So here's my question. I have some ideas and I'm just not sure which one to go with. That's where you, the reader, come in. Look at the ideas below and give your opinion one which one would be the better option and why. The "Why" is just as important.

A) Bartleby and Sonia are forced to flee Angel Island (aka the Floating Island) and in a desperate move to finally win a peaceful life together, resort to faking their deaths. Happy ending for them, not so happy for the other characters involved.

B) Sonic finds Sonia on the island, walking around alone (she's very pregnant and exercise is very important), and after seeing the WHY she left, he tries to convince her to come home. Robotnik attacks and captures Bartleby, taking him back to the Palace to lure Sonia. Sonic is pressured by Sonia to rescue him and just let them be together. It's all she wants.

C) Flipside of B; Sonic finds Bartleby on the island and impulsively confronts him, demanding to know where Sonia is and what HE was thinking by having her run away like that. It's Sonia who gets captured and despite Sonic's insisting that he stay out of it, let him rescue Sonia and stay out of her life, Bartleby grows a pair and demands that he be involved too, Sonic finally being forced to see what he and Manic didn't want to see about Bartleby. While in captivity, due to the stress, Sonia's body would go into premature labor and ironically it's Dingo who comes out the hero of that situation.

D) Robotnik does not find them on the island yet, but Sonic and Manic do. Instead of being self-righteous jerks, they actually give Sonia and Bartleby a chance to defend their case and are actually accepting of the situation. They do scold her for not, just, being honest instead of dancing around the truth and then running away, a little hurt that she thinks so little of them. Not long after leads us into the latter halves of either B or C.

E) Any other suggestions, I'm open to hear them. Every little bit helps.

"Three weeks! THREE!" Robotnik screamed at the snow wolf. "Where are they?"

Sleet cowered. "Please Your Excellency. We are looking everywhere we can think of. I even have Dingo playing a Resistance member. They don't even know where they are. Even the other hedgehogs don't know!"

Robotnik paced. "Bartleby is not good at keeping a low profile. They should have made an appearance by now. This should not be that hard." The tyrant gripped a windowsill as he glared out at the people below. "You said that not even her own brothers know where she is?"

"No Sire," Sleet said. "They don't know any more than we do."

Robotnik growled. He didn't want to admit it but this betrayal by one his most loyal contributors bothered him. "Why Bartleby, why this sudden change in attitude? Why would the girl hide from even her own brothers? None of this makes sense!" He had even put off any other plans to search for the wayward nobleman. "All of this over a girl and for no reason might I add."

Sleet tilted his head. "Weren't you going to roboticize her when she came to "sign" the pardon, Your Grace?"

"Why? Why would I need to? If she was not opposing me then," he stopped before he could spill the Prophecy. "Then she would no longer be a threat to my empire. And he was going to double the yearly tribute on his own. I, Sleet, know better than to chop the head off the goose. Something you and Dingo would be wise to learn." Robotnik shot at them, referencing the many times they had attempted to do just that. "You are dismissed. Keep searching. Double the reward. Find them! Especially him. I'll teach him what it means to betray Dr. Robotnik!"

Sleet bowed. "Yes Sire, as you command, sir." Sleet bowed all the way out of the door. Things were so complicated lately.

Sonic was in a quandary. Where was his sister? Why had she run away? Was she alright? Was Bartleby treating her right? How could he just take her and run off like that?

"You know, we haven't checked the LaTours," Sonic suggested as he tried to strum his guitar. He hadn't been able to come up with a tune since in weeks. "Maybe they went to hide with them."

Manic beat his snare. "Sonic, you know what the Oracle said. We have to let Sonia be."

"But what if something's happened to her, them? What if Robotnik got her, er, them and..." Sonic rubbed his head. "Okay, but if something happened to her..."

Manic dropped his sticks and sat up straight. "Sonic, if Buttnik got Sonia, don't you think he'd be gloating the walls down?"

Sonic nodded. "Yeah but something else could have happened. Anything could have happened. We don't even know if he's being good to her..."

"I wonder if this is what Ma goes through every day, worrying about us," Manic pondered aloud. "I'm worried too Sonic. But let's take it out on the concert tonight, not ourselves. We're not gonna find her this way."

The blue hedgehog knew his brother was right but it didn't stop the terrible worry in his heart. His sister was missing. Something had made his sister run away and he didn't know what. Worse, she had felt that whatever was the problem, running away was the only solution. She didn't trust them to help her with her problem. It hurt.

He looked out the window, worriedly gazing at the rising moon. "Sonia...hope you're okay."

Sonia was watching the same moon from their vantage point in the cave. She was having trouble sleeping. Her belly was showing her condition and it was starting to become very uncomfortable. Carefully, she slipped from her fiance's arms and went outside.

She missed her brothers. She missed her friends in the Resistance. She missed the chances to see her mother every now and again.

"Sonia," Bartleby called. She turned to see him standing there. She should have known he would wake up. His body just was not adjusting well to their leaf bed and he wasn't sleeping well.

"Bartleby, I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you up," she told him.

He came to sit beside her, gazing with her at the moon. "Don't apologize, I was just worried is all. Are you feeling alright?" He reached over to rub at her big belly.

"Yes, Bartleby, I just couldn't sleep. The moon was too pretty to ignore," she smiled at him.

"And yet, it pales in comparison to you," he kissed her gently. _"The shimmer in your eyes tonight is like a gem among the twinkling stars," _he sang softly. _"Staring into those eyes, I feel my world become enchanted."_

Sonia smiled and answered back. _"And that's why I love you, that's what you mean to say isn't it? In a trance, in a daze, I come to you. Flattering me, and why don't you kiss me."_

They sang together. _"Baby come to me, love you, only you. Hear me, only me. You are my jewelry."_

He stood and helped to her feet, serenading her with each move. _"Even a jewel may become hazy, your girlish charm never will. Even a giant diamond pales in comparison."_

"_Tell me more, oh more and more, of those pleasant words. Your love makes me feel like a princess," _she walked with him by the lake. _"I love only you, why don't you kiss me."_

His arms wrapped around her and they swayed as they sang. _"Baby come to me. Love you, only you. Hear me, only me. You are my jewelry."_

He held her close, cherishing her, until a small thump on the hand resting on her stomach startled them both. They looked at each other. The first kick.

AN: The plot thickens with Robotnik. Sonic shows a little development. And we get a little fluff from our protagonists. Please let me know what you think concerning the options above or if you have a suggestion. Your opinions mean a lot to me. The song they sing is a translated and adapted version of You're My Jewelry. Credit goes to SeraMyu Kaguya Shima Densetsu. I just really thought the song fit them since Bartleby did give up the bulk of his fortune for her. He does have money with him, a nice chunk, but it'll mainly be used for pregnancy expenses (IE cravings she can't fill on the island).

I currently am NOT planning on redeeming Robotnik, I just wanted to show a few more dimensions to his character. If you prick him, does he not bleed?


	8. Chapter 7

RAB7

AN: It should be noted that I know nothing about hunting. I do research as best as I can but sometimes my sources don't really make a whole lot of sense. But it works this time because Bartleby knows about as much as I do. I should also say that I know a lot of people are against hunting. I don't mind it personally because really, it's how the world works and how various populations are actually better controlled because of it and the hunted have a better chance than the slaughtered. A deer has a better chance of never even coming in contact with a hunter than the pig has of avoiding being turned into breakfast bacon. I do feel that if you do hunt, it should only be for what you need to survive and you should use every part of the animal. The hide can be used for clothing, the meat for food, etc. Every part of the animal can be used and to kill it and then waste any part, is disrespectful. You owe it to that creature to at least make sure it did not die for nothing. And no, putting that head on your wall is not using everything. Hunting may actually start coming back if our economy does not improve. Think about it, the hunter doesn't have to rely on the grocery store for meat, so that's money you are saving. Also I do not believe in criticizing what a person has to do in order to survive. Sometimes a person might need to hunt in order to have a meal on his table because he has no other means of survival. If you haven't been where they are, then you have no place to say that they shouldn't do it. PETA, I know, may disagree with me since they do seem all for telling people how to live their lives.

But anyway, this chapter is not meant to promote either side, but rather to illustrate Bartleby's biggest problem. And that is, he is currently unable to provide sustenance for his (essentially) wife and child. He consistently fails at it. To make matters worse, he has to watch Knuckles consistently succeed at it. He can tell Knuckles has a thing for Sonia, only Sonia is oblivious to it, and he is providing for Sonia when Bartleby cannot. He doesn't seem to realize that he can provide for Sonia in ways Knuckles will never be able to. He is able to provide the type of love and support she needs right now. While Knuckles can provide support as a friend, that's not the type of support she needs.

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 7

One thing Bartleby was grateful for about this new life, beyond his lover and unborn child, was that he did not have to get up at some predetermined time. And as they had gone to sleep so late the night before, they took advantage of it.

When they finally got up the next day, the sun was nearly in the noon position. Knuckles was sitting at a fire cooking a bunch of freshly-caught fish.

Sonia hurried as quickly as her pregnant belly would let her. "Knuckles, Knuckles! The baby kicked last night!" she told her friend excitedly.

The red echidna mirrored her excitement. "Really?" She nodded and grabbed his hand, placing it over stomach for him to feel. He felt a heavy thump from within her womb. "Wow! That's a strong kick too. He already takes after his mama." Knuckles laughed.

Bartleby watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. He wished he didn't feel this way every time this guy so much as spoke to her, but he couldn't help it.

Knuckles put the cooked fish onto their makeshift rock plates. "I made you guys some breakfast." Bartleby heard what he really meant. He had made Sonia breakfast, Bartleby just happened to benefit from that courtesy.

Sonia's face went green as she smelled the fish. "Excuse me a moment," she handed back the meal and took off as quick as her big belly would allow for the nearest bush.

Bartleby was after her at once, kneeling behind her and rubbing her back supportively. When the heaving finally ended, she looked back at him and took his hand in hers appreciatively. He helped her hobble back to the fire.

"Sorry Knuckles, I don't think the baby is into fish right now," she said.

Knuckles nodded in understanding. "I guess that's what they call the joys of motherhood. Not to worry, I'll go check the traps and I'll take the speargun to get some game if they're empty."

Bartleby stood. "That's alright Knuckles my good man. You've done so much work this morning already. I will handle the traps and the hunting."

Both Knuckles and Sonia looked at him doubtingly. "Are you sure, I have no problem helping you," Knuckles asked.

He forced a smile. "I'm sure, I've been learning this for a month now. I think I can handle it myself." No, he wasn't sure. But by golly, he was going to put food on his pregnant lover's plate if it killed him. He wasn't going to let this other guy, as nice as he's been, be responsible for what he should be responsible for.

"Ta all," he said as he took the speargun, a bag, and a hunting knife. "I'll be back in a little while."

He didn't see Sonia's worried look as he left.

The traps came up empty as they sometimes do so quietly, the mink moved through the jungle, looking for the signs of wild animal life as they had taught him. He still didn't quite understand what he was looking for however. What exactly constituted signs? Okay a branch is broken, does it mean that something has been there? How long ago? He didn't understand these things.

Suddenly caught his attention, a pile of dark, round pellets. He knelt down, being careful not to touch. He recalled when he had first encountered these.

_Knuckles held up a small handful. "Now this is very important. This is scat."_

_Bartleby cocked an eyebrow and took one to get a look at it. "What is it?"_

"_Um...droppings...dung..." Knuckles cringed._

_The mink dropped the thing, shaking his hand. "Ugh! Disgusting, how can you even touch it?"_

_Knuckles shrugged. "You get used to it. But these are wild rabbit droppings and they are fresh, as you no doubt can tell by the smell. If there's no smell, they are not fresh and the creature who made them is likely no longer in the area. If it's fresh, the animal is likely still nearby."_

Bartleby shuddered at the sight and fresh smell coming off the small round pellets. He struggled to remember what else Knuckles had said.

"Okay, rabbits like..." he looked around until he saw a bed of clover and a little brush. Quietly, he tiptoed over, spear-gun in hand. He could see the telltale cottontail poking out of the brush. He aimed for between the head and back.

Just as his finger pulled the trigger to release the spear, the rabbit darted out fast as lightning. Bartleby let out a defeated, discouraged shout as he threw the gun to the ground in disgust.

"Don't get upset," Knuckles finally announced his own presence as he came out from behind a tree startling the mink. In his hand, he held the rabbit that had fled. "You found it and you did it all by yourself."

Bartleby couldn't resist glaring. He knew he should be grateful. "I wanted to catch it on my own! I can do this!"

"Rabbits are harder solo. They scare at the slightest anything," Knuckles said. "It's easier to do it with two hunters. One flushes it out while the other does the catching."

Bartleby flushed with embarrassment and a little jealousy. "You're so much better at this than I am? Why can't I do it?"

"Because you've been at it a month," Knuckles explained. "I've lived here all of my life, I grew up doing this. That's the difference. You can do it, you just showed yourself that you are capable of learning. You tracked that rabbit on your own. You found it, not me, you."

Bartleby sighed. "It was the best I could do though. I can usually find something but I can't catch it. I want to catch it. I want to be the one who provides for Sonia. She's basically my wife, we just can't make it legal yet because of Robotnik. And that's my child. It's my job."

Knuckles shook his head. "Yes it's your job, but that doesn't mean you can't accept help. I want to help."

"Yeah, to impress Sonia," Bartleby snapped before logic could stop him. "You think I don't see it? I saw the look you had when you learned we were together and having a baby. You have feelings for her, I can tell. What if she decides I'm not worth her time if you can give her what she needs and I can't?"

It was Knuckles' turn to sigh. He nodded slowly. "Yes, I do like Sonia, I've had a crush on her since we met. I know that it's inappropriate since she's with you. I can't help the way I feel. However, I am not trying to take her from you, that's not my goal at all. I can help give her food and material things she needs, I can be her friend. But you can be there for her in ways I can't. Ways that I'll never be to. When she got sick, you were the one beside her and rubbing her back. She loves you, not me. I'm not out to change that, I promise." He handed over the rabbit. "Now, why don't we go field dress this before the meat is spoiled. Don't worry, I'll let you do it."

The fight gone out of him, Bartleby nodded and grabbed the rabbit by the ears. He didn't mind the field dressing, despite the blood. With a set of clear steps, it was a lot easier to master than the hunt itself. Finally they had a nice 2 ½ pounds of meat ready for the fire.

"Is this better my darling Sonia?" Bartleby asked as he watched her eat.

She nodded. "Much." Her eyes seem to stare off like she was thinking of something.

"What is it Sonia?" Knuckles asked curiously.

She shook her head. "Nothing really. I was just thinking of that bakery in Robotropolis." She looked at Bartleby. "You know the one I'm talking about."

He nodded. "The only one left that's actually run by actual people and not robots? The one with those éclairs you like?" Bartleby smiled teasingly.

"And how did they manage that?" Knuckles asked.

"Simple, Robotnik eats free and even he agrees that no robot could make pastries and cakes like they can just as they are, even if he had their recipes programmed in," Bartleby stated as though it should have been obvious.

"They're really good too. And Robotnik doesn't know it, but he's not the only one who gets freebies," Sonia explained. "Carlos also takes baked goods to the less fortunate. He's a good guy. Anyway, I was just sort of daydreaming about the sweet, chocolaty, creamy goodness of those yummy éclairs."

"Craving?" Bartleby asked. This wasn't the first craving she'd had but her previous cravings were all able to be satisfied on the island.

She nodded sheepishly. "Oh but I don't want you to go get them, don't worry. I wouldn't ask you do that."

He shrugged. "I think if I covered my face, it would be perfectly safe. And who'd recognize me like this anyway?" He gestured to the stubble on his face and his forming dreads.

"But Bartleby, it took us 8 hours to get here from Robotropolis," she pointed out.

"We could take my jet," Knuckles said. "Oh you're not going alone. You need someone to run interference if you meet with anyone from either side." He said when he saw Bartleby's look. "It's faster than the vehicle you used by at least triple. We can go in and be back by nightfall at the latest."

Bartleby stood up. "And I think I should pick up some other items while we're in the city. You should be eating more than just meat and fruit. You need vegetables and most of all milk."

Sonia felt guilty for mentioning the bakery. "Bartleby no, you can't go. What if you get caught? You can't leave me and your baby!" Hormones found her emotions running on high and she was hyperventilating and crying from fear.

He kissed her. "I'll be fine. You heard Knuckles. He's coming too. I promise, I'll come back."

Knuckles stood from his seat. "I'll make sure of that, Sonia. I have a cloak you can use. We'll back by dark at the latest, maybe earlier. You just rest."

Sonia realized she wasn't going to win. Her lover was putting himself in danger all over some sweets for her. She should have just kept her mouth shut.

AN: Will Bartleby and Knuckles trip into the city be a success or will it have tragic results. Also, I am actually considering Robotnik's part of the story. In both of the others that I am working on, he is definitely bad. But for this one, I'm considering a happier ending for everyone involved, including him. I have actually begun envisioning a rather tragic backstory that explains why he is what he is now. What do you think?

Oh? When you read this, off the top of your head say your favorite pastry in the comment box below.


	9. Chapter 8

RAB8

AN: Sorry I've been so slow on this one. I injured my writing hand and it hurt to type.

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 8

Robotropolis' premier bakery was a bustle with activity every day. When Mindy LaTour had been forced to seek employment to help make ends meet after their betrayal of Robotnik, the bakery was the last place she would have gone but she had no choice. It ended up being the best decision she had made. She discovered a knack for dealing with customers, no matter how cantankerous some might be. It also helped that even Robotnik didn't recognize her in this simple uniform and hat. Of course, he rarely came to the bakery himself, he always sent a servant, usually Sleet and Dingo, sometimes a bot to get his order.

So when the rotund dictator came through the doors, frightening the other patrons into a bow, Mindy was a little surprised and frightened.

She bowed as well as she could. "Milord, what brings you here to our humble bakery?"

"Double, no triple my usual order!" he commanded, rubbing his upper left arm.

Mindy frowned imperceptibly. Skilled in reading the moods of the customers who came in, she could feel a host of emotions practically radiating from the man everyone thought as a cold, heartless tyrant. "Right away Milord. She took the order back to her boss who always oversaw the filling of this order personally. "Are you well Milord?" She asked out of a strange curiosity.

"Fine!" he snapped, his eyes glaring at everything that came within mere inches. "What's taking so blasted long!"

Quickly the order was put together and Robotnik was back out the door. It almost seemed like he hadn't been there at all but Mindy would never forget the feelings of betrayal and sadness emanating from the despot.

She hadn't long to ponder the strange visit when the bell at the door announced the arrival of another customer. A man whose head was hidden in a cloak. "Hello, welcome to the Bake Shop, how may I help you?"

"A dozen eclairs, a dozen cannolis," the man started listing off his order.

"Wait," Mindy stopped him as she pulled down his hood. "Bartleby?"

Bartleby Montclair jumped. "Mindy? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same thing. Where have you been and what happened to you?" she indicated his appearance which was normally so well-kempt. "Did you know you have 20,000,000 bounty on your head? And where the heck is Sonia?"

"I guess our disappearance is a source of much gossip among the people," he asked. If she was working here, she would have access to that knowledge. "It's a long story but we had no choice. But what are you doing here. I thought you joined the Resistance."

The fox-girl shrugged with a grimace. "We tried, they pretended they were open to the idea but Father and I are nobles and that means we're selfish scum who throw our money around at the expense of the less fortunate. Sonic and Manic are okay and you already know that Sonia is practically a sister to me but the rest are self-righteous, hypocritical jackasses."

Bartleby nodded in agreement. "Why should we be willing to risk our lives and give up our hard-earned wealth for people who can't even pretend they like us? I love Sonia, I would and have given up everything for her but the rest, I honestly can't give two bits for."

She nodded understandingly. "I don't like Robotnik, but at least he would never have the chance to stab me in the back. I wouldn't turn my back on him. Better the devil you know right?" She sighed and shook her head, remembering the embarrassment of being turned away from the Freedom Fighters just for committing the simple crime of being rich. "But enough of that. You owe me an explanation. Why did you two disappear like that? Her brothers are worried sick," she left out that she thought a few others were just as worried about him.

Bartleby knew that Mindy and Sonia were indeed close. He did owe her an explanation. "We had to leave, Mindy." He looked around. "Is there a way we can talk in private?" He didn't want to risk a customer come in who could identify him.

She nodded. "Hey Carlos, I'm taking my break!" Quickly, Mindy led Bartleby into the backroom. "Okay, spill."

Bartleby wondered where to begin. "I can trust you right? You won't tell anyone, most of all Sonic and Manic?"

"I promise Bartleby. The last time I saw them was weeks ago anyway, asking me if I knew where Sonia was," Mindy told him. "If I see them again, I still don't know where she is, I just know she's with you."

The mink sighed heavily. "Mindy, you know that shortly after she joined the Resistance, she broke up with me."

"Yes, she was devastated but apparently you got back together, so continue."

"Yes, we got back together after the debutante ball. After being so close, we just could not take the separation any longer. When we were together, sometimes it was innocent but other times...and Mindy, now...there's a baby." Bartleby finished.

The fox gaped at him. "A baby? You mean, Sonia's pregnant?"

"That is correct. She is pregnant and I'm the father. I tried buying amnesty for her from Robotnik but I just got this terrible feeling that he would roboticize anyway, and her brothers would never let us be together. They hate me," Bartleby hissed. "The only thing we could do was run."

She looked down at the table. "Wow...Sonia's pregnant...and she didn't even tell me that you two were together again. I guess I can understand why though. I always knew you guys were perfect for each other. I'm so happy for both of you." She hugged him like she would a brother. "And that's why you came here isn't it? For such a large order."

The mink laughed. "Cravings. I can't provide much in our current situation but I can satisfy the sweet tooth at least. And we need some other supplies that we can't get elsewhere. She needs more than meat and fruit."

Mindy agreed. "Well, let's go get your order and I'm paying for it. My way of saying congratulations."

Back at the front of the store, Mindy put in the order, wrapped it up with a note slipped into the box. "Tell Sonia that I miss her and I hope she'll let me see the baby when it's born."

Bartleby took the box. "Thank you Mindy." He turned to leave. "Oh um, I know this sounds like a strange question but I thought I saw Robotnik before. Was he alright?"

Mindy looked this way and that. "I don't know. He was rubbing his left arm and I had a strange feeling that he wasn't feeling all that well."

"He is old, and neither in the best of shape nor the best of health," Bartleby looked away. He sighed as his thoughts turned to his childhood. "Well, thanks Mindy. I'd best get going."

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Knuckles hung out by the aircraft near the bakery. He wasn't expecting much to happen, there weren't many people around right now. He wondered if Robotnik's presence had been the cause of that.

"Knuckles?" a familiar voice called.

He turned to see Sonic and Manic. "Sonic, Manic, ummm hi. I was just looking for ya."

The blue and green hedgehogs looked at each other. "You were? Is everything okay back on the island?" Sonic asked.

"Oh no," Knuckles shook his head. "Nothing like that. I was just bored and lonely, and Great Grandpa Athair said it would be alright if I took a short break to come visit. I was hoping to see Sonia too." He blushed. "Where is she at?"

Sonic and Manic exchanged another glance.

"We really don't know Knuckles," Manic stated. "She's gone missing."

"Missing!" Knuckles feigned shock and concern. "What? How? When?"

"A few months ago," Sonic answered. "She ran away with some idiot nobleman." The blue hedgehog kicked at the ground. "He tricked her away from us I bet. Bartleby never thinks of anyone but himself!"

Knuckles frowned. He'd thought Sonia had been worried for nothing but apparently they really DID hate Sonia's husband. "I didn't...um know she was with someone..."

"Yeah dude," Manic touched his shoulder in sympathy. "I know you liked her, like liked her that is."

Knuckles shrugged. "Well, do you really think this guy is all that bad, really? Does he seem to like her, does he treat her well? If she's happy, that's what's important." His eyes flickered up as he saw Bartleby heading their way. "Well, why don't the two of you show me around then? Take our minds off worrying over Sonia, I'm sure she's okay if she's with someone who loves her." He quickly led the two down the opposite way.

Back on Angel Island, Sonia was doing everything in her power to do anything but worry about Bartleby. Knuckles could take care of himself well enough but if Bartleby was caught...

She shook with hormone-driven fear and anxiety. "Bartleby, you better come back safe."

A bright light heralded the arrival of a familiar seer. "Don't worry about your young man, Princess, he will come back safely."

Sonia momentarily forgot her anxiety in the wake of the Oracle's arrival. "Oracle! What are..."

"Checking up on you dear princess," the Oracle told her. "Don't worry, only I know your whereabouts."

"How did you know where I was?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell Sonic and Manic? I know they'd have come to you to try and find me."

"Your decision to leave was made for good reason. I also have reason to believe that this will lead to good things for you and for all of Mobius," the Oracle explained. "I did want to run a diagnostic on you to be sure everything is well, if you don't mind. Your mother is worried sick that you don't have access to a doctor during this time."

"Oh Mother knows too?" Sonia wondered if that was good or bad. "And sure, I would like to know if my baby is okay."

The Oracle drew near and concentrated on the swollen womb. "Hmm, everything seems to be just fine and I would consider buying two cradles."

Sonia's eyes went wide.

After about an hour, Sonic and Manic bid farewell to their echidna friend. He insisted on walking back to his plane on his own.

"It's strange that Knuckles wouldn't let us walk back with him," Sonic said.

Manic nodded in agreement. "And strange that he would come into the city. And he also seemed a little too accepting of Sonia's disappearance and that she has a boyfriend already."

Back at the plane, Bartleby was loading the trunk with the other supplies he was able to get. "That was close." Bartleby said as they got into the plane.

Knuckles agreed. "I thought you and Sonia weren't giving them enough credit before but they really don't like you."

"No they don't. They don't like anyone in the noble classes." Bartleby stated. "I'm the highest ranking noble in Robotropolis, thus they hate me the most. Largely because, before all of this, I was able to pay Robotnik for immunity. And I wouldn't join the Resistance. They wouldn't have accepted me if I wanted to join."

Knuckles shook his head. "I guess everyone is capable of prejudice and no one is immune." Looking over at his friend, he frowned to see worry in his expression. "You alright? You look worried."

"I'm fine, Knuckles," Bartleby attempted to circumvent the discussion. "I saw Robotnik leaving the bakery, that's all."

"Robotnik? Do you think he saw you?" Knuckles asked.

"Oh no, nothing like that, if he had seen me, he would have ordered my capture and we would have been running for the hills," Bartleby said. "No, I'm just worried because Mindy said he didn't look like he was feeling well. I know it sounds strange but,"

"You're worried about Robotnik? Why?" Knuckles asked. "You ran to the island because he was going to betray you."

"I can't help it Knuckles, he's my godfather..."

AN: Ending it here. Sorry this took so long. I'm also finishing up a collaboration and an outline for a commission on top of getting used to my new job. I hope you enjoy.


	10. Chapter 9

RAB9

AN: Trust and loyalty are not naturally there. It is instinct to be constantly wary of others. It is our experiences with certain people that tell us whom we can trust. That is the angle I've taken with the relationship between Bartleby and Robotnik. I have a plan regarding Robotnik. What he was doing when he was in the bakery was a hint. Here's another: Obesity is a very dangerous condition, while it's not the looks that counts being obese DOES lead to many, many health problems. My aunt passed away about 5 years ago from heart conditions caused by obesity. My cousin passed away in his mid-30s from Sleep Apnea exacerbated by Obesity. My father, before he died, was diagnosed with diabetes (which is as people know is caused by being obese among other things). Robotnik is obese. If you are obese or even just overweight, don't fool yourself into thinking that you'll be okay and you're still attractive. Yes, you are but you're not healthy and you're killing yourself slowly by allowing yourself to remain this way. It's hard, it's an uphill battle to lose the weight but it can and MUST be done if you want to live a long, healthy, and HAPPY life.

Chapter 9

_"You're worried about Robotnik? Why?" Knuckles asked. "You ran to the island because he was going to betray you."_

_"I can't help it Knuckles, he's my godfather..."_

"Your godfather!" Knuckles shouted in dismay. "How? Why?"

Bartleby looked out the window of the plane, towards the dark egg-shaped palace. "My parents and he were close friends. My father told me that he had been in a terrible accident, lost his wife and unborn child along with his entire right arm. They took care of him and paid his medical bills while he recovered. When I was born, he was there to help my mother through the childbirth. The birth had been hard on my mother, I was a breach and she couldn't get to the hospital in time. If it hadn't been for Robotnik, she and I might both have died. As it was, he saved the both of us with his skills and knowledge. In gratitude, and sorrow for his own loss, they named him my godfather."

Knuckles frowned. "Are you saying he used to be a good person?"

"He still is," Bartleby stated. "Nobody sees it anymore, not since he deposed Queen Aleena. He's a good person. He was good to me. He played with me when my parents were too busy. When he felt they weren't taking enough time to be with me, he warned them that I wouldn't be little forever and their businesses would survive a few hours without them. When I wanted to be with Sonia, my parents didn't like it because she was adopted and weren't sure she was worthy of me. I told Robotnik and he talked to them. He didn't even know with whom I wanted to be. He's a good person. He's done some horrible things, that I agree, but there's still good in him." He pleaded desperately for someone to understand, to believe him. "I know there is. That's why I couldn't fight in the Resistance. Asking me to fight Robotnik directly..."

"That would be like someone asking me to kill Great-Grandpa Athair," Knuckles said. "Does Sonia know all this?"

"Yes, she knows. That's why she never really pressed the issue," Bartleby asked. "She asked me a few times but she understood why I couldn't do it. It's because of him, I even survived my birth and I betrayed him. And now he might be ill."

"I think, if there is a part of him that is still good, then that part understands why you made this decision. If it is as you say, that he had a hand in helping to raise you to be who you are today, then he understands," Knuckles attempted to reassure the mink who had come to be a good friend. "That part of him that is still good would expect you to do what you did, and would likely be disappointed if you hadn't."

With a deep breath, Bartleby looked away from the dark palace. "Thank you, Knuckles."

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Sonia was waiting at the fire when the plane landed. She hurried to help unload until Bartleby gave her a hard look. She wasn't supposed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk or do any unnecessary work.

He held open the box of treats for her. "Sweets for the sweet," he quipped. "There's a note in there for you, from Mindy."

Sonia saw the paper and unfolded it. "You saw Mindy?"

"She works at the bakery now and she recognized my voice," the mink explained.

She read the note. "When I have the babies, we'll have to sneak her out here to meet them."

"Yes we will..." the rest of her words sunk in. "Wait a minute, 'babies?' 'Them?'"

Sonia kissed him. "I had a visit from the Oracle. He knows where we are, but is keeping his mouth shut. He wanted to do a scan to make sure I was alright. We're having twins!"

The blonde's face went through a wide arrange of emotions from fearful shock that someone else knew where they were to pleasantly surprised at the news and finally to deliriously happy. "Twins? And he's sure?"

She nodded. "Twins. He could have told us the genders but I told him we wanted that to be a surprise."

"Twins...that's amazing!" All thoughts of regret fled in the midst of this new development. All he could think about was how much he loved this pink hedgehog before him. He'd made the right decision despite everything. "I guess we'll have to go back to the city to get double the baby supplies."

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When Robotnik made it back to the palace, he was panting, feeling very short of breath. The stress of the last few months were getting to him, he knew. He was not a young man.

"There you are sire," Sleet ran out to meet him. He and Dingo had been searching all over the palace once they realized he was gone. It was quite unlike Robotnik to do anything for himself. "Where have you been?"

The overlord glowered a death glare at the wolf. "None of your damned business! I'm in charge here and I hardly need to check in with anyone." He shoved the boxes of pastries at him.

Normally, Sleet wouldn't have cared but even he noticed that his boss was not well. He wondered if he should do something, like call a doctor, but doubted the tyrant would consent to see one even if he did.

Robotnik opened his mouth to shout at Sleet some more, just for the sake of yelling at someone. What came out was a series of heavy coughing and wheezing. Weakly he leaned against a nearby wall as the fit went as quickly as it came. Several moments passed and he looked up at Sleet. "What are you doing just standing around! Go hunt down those hedgehogs!"

"But what about your cakes, sire?" Sleet asked.

"Put them in the kitchens. I will eat them later," he commanded. Suddenly he wasn't feeling very hungry. He just wanted to sleep.

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AN: Okay, I'm sure 99.9% of you can guess where I'm going with Robotnik now. This is short because I have to go to work. I hope to see your reviews.


	11. Chapter 10

RAB10

Rock-a-Bye

AN: We might actually be coming into the home stretch. I'm not sure but we are close at the very least.

Chapter 10:

The Oracle felt bad about having lied to Sonia's brothers, but he was also able to read them like a book. He could tell what they thought of her chosen lover and he knew her worries were justified. He also knew, from a new vision, that this development would ultimately lead to Mobotropolis' freedom.

"A fool," The Oracle said as he watched over the pink hedgehog. "I was a fool, Queen Aleena."

The amethyst-hued queen of Mobotropolis came forward from the doorway. "How so, Oracle?"

"I forgot the greatest lesson I learned when I trained to be a seer. There are thousands, millions of possible futures and one prophecy is easily rendered invalid with but a single choice," the Oracle explained. "I needlessly separated you from your children and put all of our eggs into one basket."

"And yet, if you hadn't, my daughter might not be so happy," Aleena told him. "As a seer, you should also remember that all things have a purpose. Destiny is what we make it. She will alright?"

The Oracle nodded. "Yes, she will be alright. She will be in the hands of the only one who can help her. It's a little ironic to be completely honest, almost paradoxical."

His only companions now, Sleet and Dingo found themselves watching as the overlord's health deteriorated.

"Sleet, do ya think he's gonna get better?" Dingo asked as they were sent away from the palace again.  
This time they hadn't even received the order to hunt down either the hedgehogs or Bartleby and Sonia.

Sleet sighed. "He's not a young man Dingo, and he's extremely overweight. And I don't know why but that aristo-twat's betrayal affected him much worse than he wants to admit."

Dingo became pensive. "Do we want him to get better?"

"I don't know," was the only answer Sleet had. It was a strange, awkward situation. They despised the evil man as much as any of the other Mobians but this was different. How were they supposed think or act?

"Maybe, maybe we should..." he stopped when Sleet's hand drew his attention.

Sleet pointed ahead of them, near an alley near a children's supply store. "Isn't that the echidna from that island? Knuckles?"

Dingo looked and gaped. "But I thought he never left that island?"

Knuckles waited at the aircraft. With not long left to go, Bartleby had been excited to get all kinds of baby things. (_"My children will not sleep on a bed of leaves, thank you.")_ It was sound thinking. Sonia didn't like the idea of them coming into town again, but Knuckles happened to agree with Bartleby on this one. If he can afford to give his children such things as a crib, then he should. And after all, he cloaked so no one would recognize him.

"Hey Knuckles!" the echidna jumped at Sonic's voice from a nearby chili dog stand. Who could have predicted that he'd see Sonic on their second trip in a row.

Knuckles waved at his blue friend and went over to the stand. "Hey Sonic, how's it going?"

"Alright...the band's not the same without Sonia's keyboard," Sonic admitted. "And the fight's not the same either."

Knuckles nodded with understanding. "I'm sure."

"So um, why were you just standing at your ship? You waiting for someone?" Sonic asked, always direct.

Knuckles debated how to answer that question. How long had Sonic seen him there? Was this meeting just a coincidence or something more? But you know, that Knuckles was so smart and so slick that he thought up a lie and he thought it up quick. "My battery died...I've been waiting for someone else with a ship so I could get a jump."

His lie to seemed to fool Sonic who nodded. "Well, let me call Manic. He's a whiz with vehicles. He can fix you up."

Before Knuckles could protest, Sonic was on the communicator with his brother. The echidna face-palmed. Manic would recognize that Knuckles had been lying and that would lead to questions. Should he just fess up and get it over with? They didn't like Bartleby, but maybe they would give him a chance if he vouched for him? But what if they didn't? What if they tried to take her back? She wouldn't be able to put up much of a resistance and the stress could hurt her and the babies. He would be hurting two friends that he'd grown to really care for these past few months. He would just have to hope he could play dumb really well.

Bartleby was engrossed in his task of picking out the perfect furniture for their improvised nursery. His eyes fell on a stuffed hedgehog and he picked it up. He could hardly believe his life had been building up to this. The hedgehog he loved and his two beautiful children. He felt completed, where before he'd felt like only half man. All of his money and his nobility could never give him a wonderful, nearly intoxicating feeling such as this. He had a family.

A female possum looked through a pile of baby clothes nearby with a friend. "Have you heard about Robotnik?" she said to her friend.

"No what about him? Is he instituting a new stupid tax or something?" the friend answered.

"When isn't he? But no, I've heard he's very sick. He hasn't made any public appearances in a couple of weeks," she stated. "The rumors say he might die. Not that we'd get so lucky."

Bartleby stopped and looked ahead. When he'd visited Robotnik his last night in the city, the old dictator had been fine. Now, he was supposedly dying. Of course, it was just rumors but what if they were true?

Manic looked over engine with a perplexed expression. "I don't see anything wrong. Try starting it Knuckles."

The echidna nodded and turned the key in the ignition. The engine turned over with ease. "Well, I don't know why it broke down on me...thanks Manic. You're a lifesaver."

The green hedgehog grinned. "No problem, Knucks. What are friends for?"

"Exactly," Knuckles agreed. "Well um...I should get back to the island. I was gone longer than I meant to be. Thanks again," he climbed in the driver's seat and flew off before they could stop him.

"Did you plant the bug?" Sonic asked.

"Yep, now we'll find out what he was hiding last time," Manic said. He hated spying on their friend but according to their informant, they knew that Knuckles had come with a friend in a cloak who then went into the baby store. Yes, something was up and they needed to know what.

Knuckles waited in the air, unseen by the hedgehogs, until they left. He landed just as Bartleby came out with several large boxes.

"I saw Sonic and Manic," Bartleby said as they loaded up the aircraft.

Knuckles nodded. "Yeah, I don't know if Sonic was here by coincidence or by call of chili dog, or if he knew I was here, as if he knows something. Did you find everything?" he asked quickly to change the subject.

Bartleby nodded. "Yes. Let's get back to Sonia..." he said softly. They didn't see a little orange fly attach itself to the back of the vehicle.

Sonia sat at the fire. She did not feel well. Her back hurt, her legs hurt, her ankles hurt. Everything hurt. The twins were kicking hard against her womb but they felt lower than they were a few days ago. Her time was coming, soon.

AN: Ok, not my best chapter. I am tired. Note, I was actually inspired to write this chapter after I watched "To Boldly Flee."


	12. Chapter 11

RAB11

AN: Need Opinions? I am considering doing an interlude chapter detailing Bartleby and Sonia's decision to rekindle their relationship after the Debutante Ball.

Chapter 11

Sonic and Manic stood at the intercom picking up the transmission from the plane.

"You're back!"

"SONIA!" Sonic and Manic both shouted.

"I knew something was off," Manic said. "As much as Knuckles likes Sonia; I expected a much stronger reaction to A) learning she was missing and B) learning she already has a boyfriend."

"So looks like we're paying old Knucklehead a visit."

"And maybe ask why he lied to us."

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"This better be good Sleet," Robotnik stated from his bed.

The wolf gave a wolfish grin. "Oh it is sir. We've found them."

Robotnik sat up straighter. "Am I to assume you mean Bartleby and that damned hedgehog?"

"Yes sire, they are on Angel Island with that echidna," Sleet said proudly. "We spotted the echidna in the city and thought it a little suspicious so I had Dingo follow them. He just radioed me to confirm that they are definitely there."

Robotnik stared forward. Silence filled the room for several moments.

"What would you have me do, my lord?" Sleet asked.

The overlord turned dark eyes on the bounty hunter. "Bring them back here! Bring them alive! They will know the price of betrayal!"

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"Yahh! Darn!" Bartleby grit his teeth as his finger got caught in a hinge.

"You alright?" Knuckles asked as he looked at the instructions for the other cradle.

"Yes, I just got my finger caught," Bartleby answered as he suckled the nick for a few seconds.

"Bartleby," Sonia came over. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Bartleby looked around at the bags for anything within her weight range. "You can check out the toys and baby clothes I picked out."

She pursed her lips. "Something useful?"

The mink stood up and pecked her on the lips. "Sorry dear, the rest is too heavy. You should really just be sitting down here and resting. But looking over those things wouldn't be too much."

"Bartleby, I'm pregnant not an invalid!" She grumped.

"And you're close to term and you know my mother had trouble delivering me," he told her, loving concern in his eyes.

She sighed. "I know but I'm restless. My back hurts, I havent seen my ankles in a month. I just want to do something besides sit, eat, and pee!"

Her lover kissed her comfortingly. "I know my darling, but you know it would kill me if something happened to you and our children. Please take it easy for just a little while longer," at her stubborn look he added, "for me?"

With a long-suffering sigh, Sonia sat down at the bags of clothes and toys. "Okay Bartleby."

He smiled at her. "Thank you my love. I just want you to be safe and healthy."

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After "borrowing" a small plane, Sonic and Manic were well on their way to Angel Island.

"So, Sonic, we found her. What are we going to do?" Manic asked.

"First we're gonna hug her and scold her for scaring us half to death like this. Then we're gonna kill Bartleby for talking into this. Then we're gonna take her home."

"But Sonic, the Oracle said..." Manic protested.

"Manic, Sonia belongs home with us. She knows it. She also knows that only the three of us together stand a chance against Robotnik. Bartleby must have corrupted her or blackmailed her into this. We're gonna bring her home where she belongs." Sonic explained with an air of logic in his words. "When Robotnik is done with then she can afford to be selfish this way. Either that or she better be ready to explain herself. She better have a damn good reason for abandoning us like this."

Manic frowned. "Sonic, you're not her father, you're her brother and you're not exactly in charge of her life. I think Ma would want us to let her decide for herself."

"If she has a good reason, I have no problem with I it," Sonic said. "but as it is, Mobius is depending on us, all three of us, and the medallions only work when we're all together."

Manic considered his brother's words. "I don't know Sonic. The Oracle told us to leave her be."

Sonic said nothing. All he could think about was finding Sonia and making sure she was safe. Manic, on the other hand, was thinking about what their informant had said. He was starting to get an idea of why Sonia left.

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On Angel Island,

"Awwww, this is so cute!" Sonia pulled out a small onesie with a little yellow ducky. The "mommy" in her was getting into her "task."

Bartleby smiled at her as he finally finished putting together the crib. "Isn't it though. Of course, I got matching sets. And..." He reached into a bag and pulled out two plush toys, both a purple hedgehog.

Sonia gasped and took one of them. "They look like Mother. Oh Bartleby..." She moved to hug him. "Thank you."

He looked down at her and smiled. "I thought you might like them."

Dingo watched from a tree, still in fly-form. Some things were starting to add up now. Although he knew there was never a chance between them, it still hurt to lose the dream.

AN: Sorry this has been so long in coming, I've been working nearly around the clock for the last couple of weeks. Sonic's attitude of course is out of worry for his sister and his natural impatience.


	13. Interlude

RAB-INT

If you read, please leave a review. Your opinions help me to keep writing.

AN: This is the short interlude of our protagonists rekindling their relationship after the Debuntante Ball. Wrote on my iPad with iA Writer.

Interlude: All I Ask of You

Sonia was admiring the necklace that her mother had slipped to her that night. She could imagine her mother dressed in a beautiful ball gown wearing that pendant.

The night had been simply lovely, or it started out as such, until she'd had to ditch Bartleby in favor of hijacking Robotnik's toy, the Predator. She wondered if Bartleby would forgive her for abandoning him or if he would finally give up on her. She knew it would be best if he gave up but it still hurt being so close and yet so very far.

She sighed and went to look out the window. She gazed in general direction of where she knew his mansion was.

A knock coming from the base entrance got her attention. She went to see who it was. Sonic beat her to it.

"What are you doing here?" Sonic demanded curiously and a little wary.

"I'm here to see Sonia, of course," said whoever was at the door.

Sonia gasped. _Bartleby?_

"How did you find this place? Sonia's not available." Sonic tried to dismiss the nobleman at the door. He had cooperated with him in order to get his sister to that ball but he wasn't about to encourage his sister to be with the pompous, arrogant, wealthy noble.

"Look, Sonic, I am not leaving until..."

Sonia jumped to the rescue. "Sonic, let him in."

"But Sonia..." Her blue brother protested.

"I said 'let him in.'" She pushed Sonic out of the way. "I'm sorry Bartleby, Sonic is just a little overprotective. Please, come in. Can I offer you something to drink. I don't have..."

"No thank you Sonia, I only wanted to talk to you about tonight..." His eyes flicked over to Sonic. "In private, of course."

"Of course," Sonia agreed and led him back to her room. She saw he was trying to hold his opinions of her primitive living conditions to himself. "I'm sorry about tonight Bartleby..." She started. "Robotnik had a..."

Bartleby put his hand up. "No, my dear, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I wish you had warned me but, I know your work in the Resistance is important to you."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Then what..."

She was interrupted when he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her deeply, with such intense passion it left her a little lightheaded.

When he pulled away. "My dear Sonia. Being so close to you tonight, it made me realize that I can't stand this separation any longer. I love you, I need you."

"Bartleby, you know we can't be together."

"Why not? Do you not feel the same? Do you not love me anymore?" He asked, his eyes reflecting a deep fear that could be exactly the problem.

"No, of course that's not it," she held him. "That couldn't be further from the truth. It's because I love you, that we can't be together. You could be hurt and I couldn't bear that. And I know you could never fight against Robotnik."

Soft hands pet her long magenta hair. "Sonia, any danger is worth it to be with you. I know you want to protect me but at some point you have to let me make my own choices regarding us. If we love each other, then we should be together and I love you."

She turned away. "Bartleby...my brothers...I...my mother...the Freedom Fighters. There's so much at stake."

"I'm not asking you to leave them. I understand this is important work. I wouldn't ask you to abandon your brothers anymore than you would ask me to betray my godfather," he told her. "We could still be together, even if in secret. No one else has to know."

Their eyes met and for several moments there was only silence. In his eyes, she saw sincerity, love, and need. She felt the same need stirring inside her.

"I want to say yes," she started. "I love you Bartleby. You're the only one I can truly let my defenses down around. I don't have to hide anything from you. I'm just so scared. I don't want anything to happen to you. You're safest far away from me."

He shushed her gently. "Safe maybe but miserable. Please, my darling, my Sonia. Love me, that's all I ask of you."


	14. Chapter 12

RAB-12

AN: I love being able to write and post from my iPad. This is great.

Chapter 12

Sunrise dawned on the island. It was Sonia's turn to groan in pain as she woke up. Her abdomen was clenched ever so slightly and her back was hurting her. Moaning, she leaned into her lover's sleeping embrace.

Bartleby stirred at the moan. "Are you alright my dear?"

She groaned. "I'm pregnant, what do you think."

He cringed. "Sorry my darling, is it time do you think?"

The cramping was gone and she shook her head. "I don't think so, but my body sure is rehearsing for the big event. It's just a little uncomfortable, that's all."

Bartleby pet her hair gently. "I wish I could take some of that pain for you darling. I would do anything to relieve your discomfort."

She smiled up at him. "I know, I'll be alright." She grimaced. "I need to pee...the twins are leaning on my bladder."

Bartleby helped her to stand and outside to a nearby privy he had built with Knuckles help.

Knuckles was stoking the fire, keeping his eyes on the skies towards Robotropolis. He had a weird feeling.

His radar system went off just as a small dot appeared on the horizon. He hurried to the radio.

"Unidentified aircraft, identify yourself or be shot down," he warned.

"Hey Knuckles," came Sonic's voice. "Thought we'd pay you a visit since you've paid us two."

Knuckles didn't answer for a minute. He couldn't turn them away without being exceedingly rude and suspicious besides.

"Oh..." Was all he could say, cringing when he saw Bartleby and Sonia making their way over to the fire. The game was over.

Before Knuckles could warn them, Sonic and Manic were landing.

"Sorry guys," Knuckles apologized. "I guess they were suspicious after all." He wasn't a fool.

Sonia smiled wanly at the echidna. "It's okay, Knuckles. We knew it was only a matter of time."

Sonic and Manic disembarked the plane and came over. When they saw Sonia, Sonic couldn't resist rushing over and hugging her.

"Sonia, here you are!" He cried. "We've been worried sick." He and Manic glared at Knuckles, accusation in their eyes.

Manic looked Sonia over, his own suspicions confirmed.

"Sonic, don't be mad at Knuckles. We asked him to let us hide here." Sonia tried to intercede.

Sonic looked over his sister, his mouth falling open as the final piece came together. Angry eyes flashed to the mink beside her. "I'm gonna kill you!" He leapt at the other male.

Knuckles grabbed his friend from behind, pulling him back, only his superior strength between Sonic and Bartleby's throat. "Sonic, stop, you're overreacting!"

Sonic stopped in shock at the words. "Overreacting?" He pulled away and glared at Knuckles. "Look at what he did to my sister and tell me I'm overreacting!"

"Bartleby didn't do anything to me Sonic!" Sonia shouted. "It takes two to tango."

Manic, the more composed of the two, turned concerned and hurt eyes on his sister. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because of what Sonic's doing now, Manic!" Sonia said.

Bartleby hugged her close. "We knew the two of you would never let us be together and that's all we want. We love each other."

"You expect me to buy that!" Sonic shouted. "You don't love anyone but yourself! You wanted her all to yourself! You call that love! Putting her in this danger!"

"He didn't corrupt me Sonic. I made the choice to be with him. I love him!" Sonia insisted.

The blue hedgehog couldn't even look her in the eye. "How could you possibly love someone who lives in Robotnik's pocket? He supports Robotnik!" Sonic protested. "He's a traitor to the true royal family of Möbius!"

Bartleby couldn't deny Sonic's hateful accusation. He was, technically, a traitor to Queen Aleena.

"And then you want to try and tell me that you couldn't at least wait until the war was over to do this?" Sonic asked. "Sonia, you know the Oracle said only the three of us together can defeat Robotnik. This is the epitome of selfishness. You betrayed Möbius. You betrayed Mom."

Sonia gasped, her lip wobbling with stressed tears. Sobbing, she turned and fled.

"Sonia..." Bartleby glared back at Sonic. "Now hold it right there! Sonia doesn't owe anyone anything. She didn't betray anyone. And as for your mother, she abandoned the three of you to strangers. So do you really want to continue on that thread? Maybe we should have waited before having children but you know what, life happens! I won't call it a mistake because it's not. We love each other, so why shouldn't we be together? Why shouldn't we have a family together? Why am I not entitled to the same rights that you demand from the aristocracy? Why is she not entitled to live her life the way she wants to. Yes, I talked her into running away, into leaving the fight, but that was because now there's a baby, no two babies to think about. She can't fight in her condition and I'll be damned if I let you take her and my family away from me!"

Several tense moments went by as the pair stared each other down. It looked like it would go forever, neither willing to back down.

"Wait, two babies?" Manic asked.

Bartleby nodded. "Yes, we learned from your friend, the Oracle, that she is pregnant with twins."

Shocked stares met his words. "The Oracle?" Sonic asked. "As in the Oracle of Delphius? We went to him and he said he couldn't locate you." How many of their friends had lied to them to hide away their dear sister?

"Yes, he knew where we were and visited about a week ago to run a few spells to determine how the pregnancy was going," the mink explained. Bartleby sighed. "Look, I'm sorry to have worried you but you gave us reason to being separated. I love her, Sonic. I do. When we got back together, a baby certainly was not in our immediate plans. However, I don't regret this. And she wanted you to be a part of this time but...look at how you just reacted. You just said that because you hate me then so should she. I'm sorry I support Robotnik, but don't blame me for the choices your friends made that got any of them roboticized. They knew the dangers of opposing Robotnik. They knew what would happen if they were caught. I didn't turn any of them, although I could have, because I knew that the resistance was important to Sonia. I accepted her decision to fight until we learned she was pregnant. That's the only reason we did what we did."

Knuckles touched Sonic's shoulder. "He does love her. I've seen it. He takes good care of her, treats her the way she deserves, and he makes her happy. That's why I didn't say anything."

"So I just have to accept this?" Sonic asked, a little calmer. He'd used all his combativeness in his last hateful speech.

Bartleby shrugged. "No, you don't have to accept anything. You can go on hating me as long as you want. But she's not returning to the Resistance. She's not going to this Sanctuary of yours. We will not let you split us up. If you refuse to accept this, then the only one you will hurt is yourself by cutting yourself off from her life after this point. The choice is yours. You and Manic can leave in anger and never return or you can choose to be the two uncles to our two expected children."

"AHHHHH!"

* * *

Sonia wept over the lake. "Why can't they accept him?" She asked herself. Her brothers' opinion meant a good deal to her.

She failed to see the color of the log she sat down upon was a hideous orange hue.

Suddenly, a pair of arms extricated themselves from the log and wrapped around her chest tightly.

"AHHH! Let me go!" She shrieked.

Sleet stepped out from the trees, pointing his remote at Log-Dingo. "Good job, Dingo!"

Sonia struggled, doing her best to keep Dingo from wrapping around her abdomen. She was surprised when Dingo changed how he held her to a sickening "bridal" position, her pregnant belly safe from his strength. "Put me down you big brute!"

"That won't be happening, Sophie. You're going to Dr. Robotnik and your precious Burgleby will learn what happens to those who betray his lordship." Sleet told her. "Dingo, take her back to the Scorpion."

"I'm on it Sleet." The orange dog carried her back towards their ship. If Sonia didn't know better, she would think he was actually trying to be gentle with her.

* * *

When Bartleby heard Sonia's bloodcurdling scream, the bottom fell out of his stomach. He ran in the direction of the scream, in his concern he was only barely behind Sonic's speed.

They were too late. The Scorpion was already flying off.

"SONIA!" Bartleby screamed. If they got her back to Robotnik..."Sonic, I need you to take me to Robotnik. I have to save her!"

Sonic didn't want Bartleby to help. He didn't want Bartleby to have anything to do with his sister but he was starting to understand that wasn't up to him. She had run away to be with this guy. If he forced him away from her, she would be heartbroken. "No...we'll save her. You stay here where you're safe."

"No!" Bartleby shouted. "I have to save her! Only I can save her. You can rescue her, but then they would come back and we would always be looking over our shoulders. I have to talk to Dr. Robotnik."

AN: What does Bartleby think talking will do? How will Sonic react when he learns that Robotnik is practically family to him? Can they save Sonia? Tune in next time on Rock-a-Bye.

Naming Contest:

Need two names. One male, one female


	15. Chapter 13

RAB13

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 13

AN: Sorry for the slow progress. I had writer's block. OH, I forgot to mention that just because I ask for both girl and boy names doesn't mean that there's going to be one of each, that's still a surprise. Anyway, and off we go. Be sure to review.

"You have to what?" Sonic asked incredulously.

Bartleby nodded. "Talk to Robotnik."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "And what do you think talking will do? Robotnik can't be reasoned with, he's like a mad dog."

"No!" Bartleby shouted. "He isn't. If he knows why we left, I think he'll listen."

"And why do you think that? Why do you think you can succeed where thousands of others have failed?" Sonic demanded. "Especially when you, yourself, screwed him so recently."

The nobleman looked away, reluctant to continue.

Knuckles stepped in. "Look, there's no time to argue. We have to get moving. We'll take my plane."

Sonic scoffed. "That slow thing. I'll run us there. It'll take less time."

-  
A few hours later, Sonia sat bound in the corner of the Scorpion. She was doing her best to keep calm but it was hard in these circumstances.

"Yes sire, we got her. No doubt the worm will follow after. Her brothers will likely try to rescue her too," Sleet said over the radio.

"Good!" Robotnik's voice came over. "With any luck, we'll get all of them."

Dingo stood guard over the pink hedgehog. He kept looking back at her with what might have been concern in his eyes.

In any other situation, she would be fighting tooth and nail. But in her condition, she knew she stood no chance.

"Dingo," she knew her best chance was to appeal to the big orange brute. "Dingo, please, you have to let me go!"

He looked at her. "Sorry Sonia, there's nothing I can do."

"But Robotnik...he'll roboticize me. That'll kill my babies," she pleaded. "I'm pregnant."

Dingo nodded. "I know, I heard and saw everything." His lower lip pouted for a moment. "I only do what I'm told. There's nothing I can do."

Sonia opened her mouth to speak but instead grit her teeth as terrible pain clenched her abdomen.

Dingo noticed the signs of pain. "Sonia..."

Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. "No no...not here..."

The large minion was notably dumb but even he could figure out what was happening. "Sleet!" He quickly began untying the girl.

The wolf ran over from the controls. "What are you doing you idiot!"

"It's Sonia, she's pregnant and I think she's having the baby," Dingo explained.

The wolf's face drained of color at the news. "Holy shit."

Meanwhile, Sonic's supersonic speed had gotten a nauseous Bartleby and Knuckles to the palace. Manic was following in the plane trying to stay with the Scorpion without putting Sonia in anymore danger.

Upon seeing the fugitive nobleman, the Swat-Bots immediately apprehended him. Sonic wanted to fight the bots and break in but Bartleby indicated he should stand down.

"Let me handle this," the mink told the hedgehog. "Hostility will only put Sonia in worse danger."

Against his better judgement, Sonic allowed the bots to take them to the audience chamber where Robotnik sat in his stolen throne. Sonic couldn't help picturing his mother sitting in that throne, turning hateful, angry eyes on the tyrant.

Knuckles, as if he could sense Sonic becoming angry, placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have every right to be angry but at this time it can only hurt Sonia. Hold your temper."

Bartleby went down to his knees. "Milord Robotnik."

"So you have come to me rather than force me to hunt you down," Robotnik said. "Funny how you only surrender after your little slut is in my grasp."

Although the slur hurt Bartleby on Sonia's behalf, he only bowed his head. "I come Lord Robotnik to humbly beg your mercy. To put all of your anger onto me and spare my precious Sonia."

Robotnik glared. "I was prepared to give her mercy when you requested it the first time. You betrayed me. Tell me, why should I believe you now?"

"I..." The mink struggled. "I know I was wrong to betray you, but..."

As Bartleby was about to explain, the communicator at Robotnik's hip buzzed. "Sire, Sleet here, we have encountered some complications."

Irately, Robotnik grabbed the communicator. "This had better be good and you had better not me telling me you lost this hedgehog!"

"No no, sire, that is not the problem. She is still our prisoner except..." Sleet trailed off.

"Spit it out!" Robotnik demanded.

A scream tore from the communicator, leaving a ringing sound in his ears. Bartleby's face visibly drained of color as he considered what that scream could mean.

"Um...the hedgehog...she's having a baby," was the most succinct answer the wolf could give.

Robotnik looked from the communicator to Bartleby. "A baby?"

Bartleby nodded, his expression worried. "Yes, Lord Robotnik. She is pregnant with twins, mine. I didn't want to run away...but I wanted to protect her..." He explained. "I thought I was doing what you always told me a parent does for his child...when I was a little boy."

Sonic looked at Knuckles. "He knew Robotnik when he was a kid?"

Knuckles nodded. "Yes..."

Robotnik considered the new information. "Yes, I taught you much in your childhood, as your godfather. And yet, despite our almost familial relationship, you still did not trust me with this. You chose to run away like a coward."

"You weren't the only ones they ran away from," Sonic stated. "They ran from us too. Afraid we would separate them. You weren't the only one betrayed in all this."

"Well to be fair Sonic, you gave us reason to worry," Bartleby countered. "She wanted to tell you. And I wanted to tell you sir," Bartleby looked at his godfather, hurt and fear in his eyes. "We wanted you all to be a part of this because you are all important parts of our lives. However, because of the feud between the families and the classes we couldn't tell anyone! We had to run because damn it, we didn't want our children caught in the middle. Sir, I don't want to think you would have betrayed me but I couldn't take the chance on losing my family. And Sonic, Manic, you can't say that you wouldn't have tried to separate us or at least give her hell over her choice."

"Well, we'll never know now, will we?" Sonic and Robotnik surprisingly shot back in unison at the mink. The hedgehog prince and overweight despot looked at each other in surprise at their agreement.

"The point is, we were caught in the middle and we didn't want that for us or our family. We wanted to have our family in peace. Is that so wrong?" Bartleby finished.

Another scream echoed from the communicator before any more could be said. Robotnik looked at the fearful face of his godson. On the one hand, he was still pissed and wanted to punish the brat in the worst way possible. On the other, this was his godson and his offspring at stake, and he did make some valid points.

"Sleet, I need you to time how long it takes for the next contraction to come after this one passes," Robotnik instructed. Ten minutes passed before another painful scream could be heard. "How far are you from the city?"

"Still a couple of hours at the minimum, sire," Sleet replied.

Robotnik sighed. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Sleet, this is what you need to do. Have Dingo find some warm, clean towels and some warm, clean water. And be sure you both wash your hands thoroughly since I assume you don't have any rubber gloves with you."

AN: Will Robotnik be able to guide Sleet through a safe delivery? Will he be able to put aside his anger at Bartleby's betrayal? Will certain parties be able to let bygones be bygones and hopefully make Robotropolis a happier, safer place to grow up?

NOTE: I know Robotnik's done some terrible things. I also know that sometimes hatred and anger is not the expedient way to handle things. Robotnik may deserve castration for his crimes, but insisting on such a punishment will not safely bring Sonia's twins into the world or necessarily peace to Mobius. Sometimes you have to be willing to forgive if you want peace.


	16. Chapter 14

RAB14

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 14

After the initial instructions, all they could do was wait. At the time, Sonia was only in the beginning of active labor. According to Sleet's measurements (done quite under protest from both Sonia and the wolf) she was only about halfway dilated.

"How long does this have to take?" Bartleby asked as he paced.

Robotnik put a forceful hand on the mink's shoulder and pushed him into a seated position. "Sit brat. Every woman is different. It could be another several hours or within the next twenty minutes."

Bartleby buried his head in his hands. "I'm sorry sire, I'm just worried sick. I should be with her right now."

"Yes and you know how to deliver an infant?" the man asked with no small amount of sarcasm.

He sighed and shook his head. "Not really. Knuckles and I were reading books on the subject. We could have probably have done it but...I'm not very confident about it." Bartleby looked up at him. "Thank you, for helping her, even after all of this. After I betrayed you."

Thankfully, Sonic and Knuckles were on the other side of the throne room deep in discussion. "Yes you betrayed me, but I suppose I understand why. But I also hope you understand that running away might have been the worst mistake you ever made. You had no doctor out there on that island. None of the vitamins she should have taking daily. You were a breech baby, Bartleby. That's genetic." He knew he'd made his point when a terrified expression appeared on his godson's face. "Would you have been able to handle it if your children were breeched? And if you couldn't, all three of them might have died."

"Oh gods, do you think it's possible?" Bartleby asked, terror coloring his tone.

"That one or both could be breeched?" Robotnik clarified. "It is a distinct possibility. But don't worry boy. If that's the case, either she will be here by that point and I will be able to handle it, or I will be able to guide Sleet through it. However, that doesn't change the fact that in this case, honesty would certainly have been the best policy. I know I have not earned a lot of trust with anyone else in the city, but I would have hoped that you at least trusted me."

* * *

Meanwhile, over in the corner on the other side of the room...

"He's his godfather!" Sonic asked.

Knuckles replied. "Yes, Bartleby told me about it a few weeks ago. Apparently, Robotnik was in a bad accident where he lost his wife and unborn child. The Montclairs helped nurse him back to health. When his mother went into labor with Bartleby, he wanted to come out feet first. Robotnik is trained in medicine and was able to safely deliver the baby. So he was named his godfather. That's why he thought he could just talk to Robotnik and fix this."

Sonic shook his head. Everything he'd known was getting turned upside-down. Sonia was pregnant. The Oracle knew and didn't say anything. And Robotnik was being...for lack of a better word, nice. "Why didn't he just say that? I mean, it explains a lot."

"Maybe because it was none of your business. Your lot already has this strange animosity towards him," Knuckles said. "And maybe he thought if you knew that Robotnik was his godfather that would only give you reason to hate him more."

"You don't understand Knuckles. His money helped to fund the roboticizers and the Swat-Bots," Sonic told him. "His money built factories that destroyed the environment around us. His money helped Robotnik send our mother into hiding. How can I just forgive that?"

"By trying to understand that your sister loves him, in spite of all that. She forgave him. Can you blame him for supporting his godfather?" Knuckles pointed out. "Would you ask me to betray Great-Grandpa Athair?"

Sonic was quiet for a few minutes before he shook his head. "No, of course not...but she's my sister...What am I supposed to do?"

"Accept it. She's your sister and those twins she is having are your nieces or nephews. She needs your support right now, not your judgment."

* * *

On the Scorpion, Dingo was the one stuck with his hand in the vice that was Sonia in labor. He cringed as another contraction forced her to nearly break his hand.

"Ahhh..." She moaned with the dreadful pain. "Oh Bartleby...how could you do this to me?"

Dingo grimaced. "It's okay Sonia, we'll be at the palace soon. Just breathe."

Seconds became minutes and minutes became hours. The contractions started coming closer together. Sleet, who did NOT want the job of delivering any babies, pushed the ship as fast as it could possibly go. It wasn't fast enough. They were still a good twenty minutes from the palace when the contractions were pretty much constant and Sonia was feeling an incredible urge to push.

"Damn it, she's fully dilated sir and we're not back yet. What do I do?" Sleet asked. He was a smart wolf but also smart enough to know that he knew nothing about birthing no babies.

"Alright, pay attention. Make sure she is laying back against something soft, her legs bent. The head should be crowning soon." Came the instruction.

Making a face, Sleet got into position. As predicted, he could see the perineum bulge and the top of a small head appearing. Sonia screamed with the pain of the small melon trying to exit out a hole the size of a lemon.

"Sire, the head has crowned. Now what?"

"Instruct her to take a deep breath and push with her contractions."

Sleet shook his head still unable to believe he was the one playing doctor. "Okay Sophie"

"That's Sonia, Sleet," Dingo corrected.

"Whatever. I can see the head, take a deep breath and push." Sleet repeated the step Robotnik had given him.

She shook her head, exhausted and emotional. "I can't..."

"Do it!" Sleet growled. He was not in the mood for being sympathetic. "The sooner you do the sooner it's over with."

Sonia cried as she finally did as she was told. She wanted these babies out of her and in her arms where they belonged.

"Come on, Sonia, you can do it," Dingo said encouragingly earning himself an odd look from both Sonia and Sleet.

"Shut up," Sonia demanded. "Ahhhhh..."

"Place a hand on the baby's head," Robotnik continued to instruct Sleet on the process step by step.

With loud screams with each push, the head was soon out. Carefully, Sleet cleaned away the fluid around the nose and mouth, while supporting the head. The shoulders joined the head and from there Sleet was able to guide the first baby the rest of the way there.

"Almost there...so close, yes and he's out. It's a boy," Sleet used his cape to swaddle the newborn baby boy. His eyes became fixated on this tiny little thing in his arms. He could only barely make out the baby's cry in his fascination. He, who was more used to removing life from this world, had helped to bring into the world a brand new life. He had been against doing it but now that this first infant was here, he couldn't suppress a sense of pride that he had helped bring it there. "It's a boy." He gave the baby to Dingo who in turn brought him to the exhausted mother.

Sonia's eyes filled with tears at the sight of the first of he children. She held out her arms and took him to her breast. But she knew she wasn't done yet if the pain in her abdomen was any indication. But something felt wrong, very wrong.

* * *

"The baby is here sire," Sleet's voice came over the communicator. His voice sounded suspiciously heavy. "A boy."

"You have a son, Bartleby," Robotnik relayed. "Is the baby alright, Sleet?"

"Yes sir, mother and son are doing well."

"Don't relax yet Sleet, there's still the other baby to be born," Robotnik told him.

As if on cue, the sound of a pained cry came over the intercom. "Yes sire, I think it's on its way." A few moments of silence went by before..."Sire we have a problem! The baby is coming out feet first!"

* * *

AN: Call me cruel but I am ending the chapter here on a cliffhanger. Can Robotnik safely guide Sleet through the delivery of a frank breech baby? Will Sonia and both of her babies be alright? Will Sonic ever be able to accept this? Find out next time on Rock-A-Bye.

Note: I'm not showing much of Manic because really he has already accepted this, which was evident by his attitude in earlier chapters. Sonic is the one with the issues. Please read and review.


	17. Chapter 15

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 15

AN: This chapter is why this story is rated M. The miracle of birth is wonderful but difficult to keep child or teen-friendly. Please review.

Last time on Rock-a-Bye...

"The baby is here sire," Sleet's voice came over the communicator. His voice sounded suspiciously heavy. "A boy."

"You have a son, Bartleby," Robotnik relayed. "Is the baby alright, Sleet?"

"Yes sir, mother and son are doing well."

"Don't relax yet Sleet, there's still the other baby to be born," Robotnik told him.

As if on cue, the sound of a pained cry came over the intercom. "Yes sire, I think it's on its way." A few moments of silence went by before..."Sire we have a problem! The baby is coming out feet first!"

* * *

"Damn, this is what I was worried about." Robotnik said.

Bartleby began hyperventilating. "No, no, this is bad...Sonia..."

The despot grabbed the mink by the shoulders. "Calm down Bartleby. She will be alright. Sleet, can you see the feet?"

"Yes sir, those are feet alright."

"Right then, we can still do this naturally. I want you to return to your position. Have Dingo turn the heat up in the ship, now. Do not touch the baby." Robotnik ordered. "Watch only until the anterior buttock appears in the vulva. The buttocks will distend the vaginal outlet, making room for the head..."

Bartleby tried to get a handle on his anxiety but hearing that his second baby was breeched, knowing that the one delivering that baby had no medical background whatsoever.

"She'll be alright," Knuckles assured placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Will she? Sleet is delivering that baby, Knuckles. Not only is he relying solely on being able to understand what Robotnik is talking about but he has no reason to want to be sure both Sonia and the baby are alright." Bartleby trembled. "If he can't do this, I could lose both of them."

"Bartleby, he has plenty of reasons. For one, he's likely afraid he'll be roboticized if he fails." Knuckles pointed out. "They will both be alright. Now I think it's time you start bragging about your first born. A boy, that's wonderful!"

Bartleby tried to smile bravely. "Yes, a boy. I have a boy. I'm a father."

Green-faced Sonic added from his spot on the floor. "I'm an uncle."

Knuckles chuckled at the blue hedgehog. "Yes, you're an uncle. You have a nephew with whom you can go to races, ball games. A little nephew who will surely idolize his faster-than-lightning uncle."

Sonic considered what Knuckles said. After a few moments of imagining of all the fun he and Manic could have playing with a little nephew, possibly two or perhaps a niece, a grin replaced the queasy look. "Yeah, you know this might not be so bad after all."

"Now Sleet, you need to insert two fingers for each hand into the vaginal opening around the baby's buttocks," Robotnik continued, interrupted briefly by an "Eww." "and pull gently on the lower body until the baby is born up to the knees."

* * *

On the ship, Sleet cringed in disgust with each new step Robotnik gave him. Why was Robotnik helping this hedgehog? It didn't make sense. Just that morning he was ready to read them the Riot Act, possibly put them both in the roboticizer. Now he was instructing him on how to deliver a breech baby. The first one, he admitted, was nothing compared to the grossness of this.

Sonia's screams were dying down to painful moans as she felt so tired. She had expected exhaustion but not of this magnitude. She tried focusing on her first child, breastfeeding him, bonding with him.

"It's alright Sonia," Dingo said. "Sleet's gonna get that kid out of ya."

It was a testament to how tired she was that she didn't tell him off that time.

Sleet was carefully birthing the infant's arms. He didn't notice he was holding his breath with every move, knowing even one mistake could catastrophic.

* * *

"Sleet you've almost got it," Robotnik continued. "Hook two fingers of your free hand on either side of the baby's neck. Gently, pull down on the shoulders until the back of the baby's head appears under the mother's pubic bone. Finally, elevate the baby's body gently towards the mother's abdomen to deliver the mouth, nose, brow and crown of the head beyond the perineum. Go slowly so as not to overextend the neck and head."

A few tense moments went by until the sound of a shrill wail came over the communicator. "He's out safely sire, another boy. Mother and son are fine."

Knuckles cheered and Bartleby collapsed against the wall as he released the breath he was holding, color refilling his face with relief.

From his spot on the floor, Sonic grinned. His sister was alright and her two children safely delivered. He kept his eyes trained on the nobleman. As much as he disliked him, he had to admit that the mink did love Sonia. While the decision to run away had clearly been stupid, it was a decision made out of a loving desire to protect his family. Knuckles was right. He didn't have to like it but he did have to accept it or else be alienated from Sonia's life. He didn't have to be best friends with him, but he did have to be civil.

* * *

Not long after, the Scorpion finally arrived at the palace. Sonia was taken, on Robotnik's order, to a clean, comfortable guest room and the twins were taken for examination. Bartleby couldn't help noticing that the dictator took an almost professional pride in seeing to the well-being of his newborn sons.

Now, he and Sonia lay together in the bed, admiring their precious treasures as she fed them.

Bartleby petted the soft indigo head of one infant, his eyes shining with tears. "They are beautiful, Sonia."

She kissed the other mauve taupe forehead. "They really are. We did it, Bartleby. We're parents. You're a daddy."

"You're a mummy," he added.

Feeling his father's touch, the baby squirmed slightly, his mouth kept firmly around his mother's breast. His puffy, big, blue eyes looked at Bartleby. The other boy had his eyes on his mother.

A knock on the door interrupted their bonding time. The door opened with Sonic peeking his head in.

"Sonia?" He asked tentatively.

"Come in, Sonic." Sonia invited. "Manic you too." She knew their other brother was there as well.

The hedgehogs and Knuckles all three entered. "Aww, aren't they adorable?" Manic gushed as he approached his new nephews. "Hi there, I'm your Uncle Manic."

Sonic reached out to touch one of the small hands. "And I'm your Uncle Sonic."

Knuckles stayed considerately off to the side. Her brothers should get to see first, they haven't seen Sonia in months.

"Knuckles, come on over." Bartleby said.

Knuckles went over to Bartleby's side of the bed. "It's amazing. This morning they were still in the womb, now they're here."

"And we have Robotnik to thank for it..." Sonic looked sick at the idea.

Bartleby grinned smugly. "Yes, I guess he's not as bad as everyone thinks, huh?"

"Yeah, it's strange, I always thought he was a heartless bastard." Manic stated.

"And I still am if anyone asks." Robotnik said as he entered. "I have a reputation to protect."

Manic grimaced. He would likely never get over his almost innate fear of this man who had been trying to destroy them since they were born.

Bartleby had no such fear. "Don't worry sir, no one but us will know."

Robotnik looked at the crowd in the room. "Out, this female just gave birth an hour ago. Out, out."

"Hey, she's our sister!" Sonic protested.

"And she needs her rest, out now. You'll see her later." The tyrant ordered. Seeing Sonic was ready to keep arguing. "And I can still have you and your brother roboticized. Out!"

Knuckles grabbed Sonic's hand. "Come on, Sonic."

Sonic eyed his sister protectively.

"Go on, Sonic. I'll be alright." Sonia assured him. Though she was still wary of Robotnik, he had taken good care of her and children thus far. She would continue to give him the benefit for Bartleby's sake.

When Sonic, Manic, and Knuckles were gone, Robotnik turned unreadable eyes on the pair. "Well, it seems we have much to discuss."

Bartleby squeezed Sonia's hand. "Sir, I understand if you must punish us. I ask you again, please reserve that punishment for me."

Sonia bit her lip. "Bartleby...no."

"Sonia, our children need their mother," Bartleby precluded any further argument.

Robotnik sighed. "I was prepared to order you both roboticized for your crimes and betrayal." He held up a hand to silence Bartleby's pleas. "However, in light of this new development, I must rethink my judgment. You will be guarded overnight and in the morning, I will deliver your sentence. Your children will not be included, I would suggest you arrange a secondary guardian for them tonight."

Bartleby and Sonia looked at each other and their boys as Robotnik left the room.

* * *

Robotnik thought about his two prisoners. His brain told him to have them roboticized at once. They deserved it for what they did. But the part of him that had always been lenient with Bartleby asked, "What did they really do?"

"What indeed?" He said aloud as he climbed into his bed. "Only ran away to protect their offspring. Bartleby did have reason to believe they were in danger and he's certainly learned his lesson after this." He groaned and grabbed his chest as pain passed through him. He panted and coughed as he attempted to force away the discomfort, this same discomfort he had been feeling for a few weeks.

* * *

AN: Ending the chapter here. The story should be reaching it's resolution in the next chapter or so. Will our protagonists be spared? What will they name their sons? Will Queen Aleena get to meet her grandbabies? Find out next time on Rock-a-Bye.

By the way, this story is now being typed on my Ipad due to my laptop's K being broken.


	18. Chapter 16

AN: I'm considering making this story the first, long episode of a possible sitcom. Let me know if I should and what plot lines you think would be particularly funny or dramatic.

Chapter 16

Morning came slowly, painfully slow. As Sonia got some much needed sleep, Bartleby pondered the uncertainty of the coming day. He wanted to think that Robotnik would be forgiving. He knew that Robotnik was often lenient towards him but he hated the Hedgehog family.

Knuckles sat in the room while Sonic and Manic had been denied entry by the Swat-Bots guarding the room, clearly because they would want to conspire an escape. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Bartleby looked at his friend. "I don't know what to do. What if Robotnik decides to roboticize her after all? I don't care what happens to me but I love Sonia and my babies. And a baby needs his mother."

"A baby needs his father too," Knuckles pointed out. "Look Bartleby, you don't know what Robotnik is going to do. I admit, I don't like him but I have noticed he's different around you. He might have just threatened a punishment to make you sweat."

"Perhaps. But I don't like not knowing what's going to happen." Bartleby crossed the room to where his twins lay in an improvised crib. "Knuckles, if the worst does happen, will you take care of them?"

Knuckles sighed. "Of course Bartleby, but I really think everything's going to work out. Just be positive."

Bartleby grinned, his mind clearly eslewhere. "You know, I remember back when I was little. He would come over pretty much all the time, with little presents. He gave me my first piggyback-horse. And he'd play with me. He ended up being the piggybackhorse most of the time when he was there."

Knuckles laughed. "I just pictured that."

"And sometimes he would take me for ice cream. We'd get a big bowl and split it. Then we'd go to the nearby park so I could run off the sugar." Bartleby chuckled. "As I grew up, he changed. He was bitter and always angry. Oh not with me, but with other people. He never was able to forgive the royal family for their involvement in Aunt Maria's death."

Knuckles frowned. "What do you mean?"

Bartleby looked away. "My father told me when I asked about his changing demeanor. He told me that it was because Robotnik was denied the funding he needed to hire assistants in the labs. He was the official scientist, inventor, doctor, etc to the kingdom. However, the royal family, namely the king, felt that with the magic they had from both Aleena and the Oracle, technology was silly. He was apparently convinced that all their children would have magical abilities. Because he didn't have the help he needed, his wife had to help him. Thus she was there the day of that accident. She shouldn't have been there in her condition but he had to earn a living for his family and he couldn't do it safely without help. And science is what he's best at. Then if that wasn't bad enough, King Jules decided that the accident proved that science was pointless in this day of magic and got rid of the science program altogether, putting Robotnik completely out of a job."

Knuckles stood up. "What! And Queen Aleena let him get away with that? The man lost his wife and child and then he loses his job too? That's not just mean, it's downright cruel!"

Bartleby nodded. "Yeah, it is. The nobility didn't like it one bit. They pointed out that it wasn't magic that saved me and my mother, it was Robotnik and his "pointless" science. Magic couldn't save Aunt Maria or restore the arm that he lost in the accident. Magic can't do a lot of things and they thought that King Jules was an insensitive prick for what he did. They also thought that Queen Aleena wasn't a good queen because she allowed that travesty to happen. They thought Robotnik was the better choice, so they helped him form an army and run Queen Aleena out. Jules had perished of an illness shortly before the birth of his children."

"Wow, that explains so much. The Resistance knows nothing of this. They think the aristocracy was promised riches and a life of ease and luxury."

Bartleby rolled his eyes. "Does that even begin to make sense? They were already wealthy, and making more money with their businesses by the day and they already lived in ease and luxury. How could Robotnik, who needed THEIR money to fund his army, give them what  
they already had?"

Knuckles nodded. "When you put it that way it does sound pretty stupid."

"His anger was justified, Knuckles, but it just hurt him more and made him angrier and more bitter. He never healed." Bartleby finished the story and sat down.

Knuckles looked down. "That must have been hard to watch. But you said he was good to you. He never did anything to hurt you?"

"No," Bartleby insisted. "He never hurt me, not once."

"Then he won't do anything now. Like I said, I noticed he is different around you. He's not the complete asshat he is with 99.9% of the planet." Knuckles squeezed his friend's shoulder. "If he's been good to you this far, keep trusting him. Someone should. It will be alright."

Before anyone could say anything else, one of the boys began to cry. His cry set off the other one. Sonia stirred at the wails.

"Bartleby, will you bring me the twins? They need to eat." She moaned as she forced herself into a sitting position.

As Bartleby brought her the twins, Knuckles asked. "So have you named them yet?"

"Yep," Sonia said. "Little Mr. Indigo is Basil Sebastian. And his little brother is Brose Sydney."

Knuckles smiled. "Those are cute. I like the who BS thing. It adds a touch of symmetry. You two are so lucky to have such beautiful kids."

"Hey you guys!" Sonic came in loudly. "Great news, everything's gonna be just fine."

"What do you mean Sonic? And how did you get past the bots?" Sonia asked.

Manic walked in behind Sonic and replied. "They've been deactivated. Robotnik's dead."

AN: Robotnik's dead? Yeah, like you didn't see that coming. How will Bartleby take this news? Does this mean Queen Aleena will be put back on the throne? What does this mean for the rest of Möbius?


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Silence fell over the room.

"Didn't you hear? Robotnik's gone, Möbius is free," Sonic declared.

"What do you mean?" Bartleby finally asked. "What happened?

"Well apparently he was found in his bed earlier. They think it was a heart attack." Manic explained.

Sonia was torn. On the one hand, she despised Robotnik. This meant there would be no "punishment." They were safe. On the other hand, the expression on her lover's face was pained.

"Guys," Sonic sounded exasperated. "This is a good thing! The thing that has plagued Mobius for the last couple of decades is gone! Dead, kaput, pushing up daisies!"

Bartleby sat beside Sonia, looking sadder and sadder. Sonia would have held him if she didn't have her arms full with the twins.

"Sonic, shut up!" Knuckles snapped.

Sonic gaped with shock at their friend's reaction. "What?"

"Shut up. Did you forget that there are people in this room who might've been close to Robotnik?" Knuckles told him. "You could try being a little sensitive."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "I would think at least Sonia would be happy. OW!" He grabbed the back of his head as a hand behind him connected harshly with it.

"Your sister has decorum, something you, young man would do well to learn," a feminine voice said.

Manic's eyes lit up. "Ma!"

Sonia felt relief, there was only one way to feel about this. "Mother you're here!"

Queen Aleena crossed the room and hugged her daughter gently. "Well of course I had to come meet my grandbabies. I was so worried when the Oracle told me you went into labor while in captivity."

Sonic rubbed his temple. "You mean he knew? Good to see you Mom." He hugged his mother. "But if he knew why didn't he do anything to help her? She and her kids could have...

"Because he knew that she would be alright. He's not allowed to interfere except in extreme emergencies." Aleena explained.

Bartleby frowned but chose not to say anything to that. "Thank you for coming. I'm sure she's glad you're here. Do you know if they've...I need to see him."

Aleena shook her head. "No, they haven't moved him yet."

"Do you mind Sonia?" Bartleby asked her.

"Of course not, go on, I'll still be here when you get back." She answered.

When Bartleby was gone Sonic turned to his mother. "Why'd you smack me? Aren't we supposed to be happy? We can all be together again. We don't have to keep looking over our shoulders. We're free again."

"Sonic, I know you find this hard to believe, but everyone is loved by someone and when someone dies, someone will always mourn." Aleena told her oldest son. "Love doesn't see the bad things someone does and certainly does not pass judgment, but rather forgives the bad things and focuses on the good."

"Well there was nothing good about Robotnik!" Sonic declared.

"That's not true!" Knuckles shouted. "Bartleby told me all that was good about him and exactly how "good" your own father was. Robotnik did some terrible, evil things but your family wasn't entirely innocent Sonic."

Everyone stared at the echidna who had, until recently, hated Robotnik as much as they did. Queen Aleena's face flushed with shame at the reminder of the role her husband had played in everything that happened.

"What's that supposed to mean, Knuckles? Are you really taking Robotnik's side?" Sonic asked.

"Oh then you admit he has a side, that maybe he had a story to tell but no one wanted to hear it? Did you ever think once that there was a reason the aristocrats wanted him and not your mother?" Knuckles stormed off to go to his friend's side.

"What's going on Mom? Why is everyone psycho about this?" Sonic asked.

"I'll tell you later Sonic, you too Manic. But Knuckles is right, there's more to story than you were told." Aleena said. "But it's a long story." She pasted a smile on her face. "Now, we do have a reason to celebrate. I have two adorable grandbabies."

Sonia grinned. "Well Mother, I think Brose is done eating, would you like to hold him?"

Aleena gratefully took the mauve colored baby hedgehog. "Hello there my darling, come to grandmama." She cooed at the child. "You are just so sweet."

"So what happens now, Mother?" Sonia asked.

"Now, we put the pieces of our family back together. We get Mobotropolis back to the way it was, but better than before. And I believe we have a wedding to plan." Aleena said as she gently bounced Baby Brose in her arms. "I assume you and your young man want to marry officially?"

Sonia nodded. "Yes. It would be nice to make it official and have a big beautiful wedding. Thank you Mother, for supporting us."

Aleena took her daughter's hand. "I will always support you my dear. Always."

AN: We are definitely coming to the homestretch of this story. I just need to resolve everything. I felt like the chapter needed to end here. I hope I conveyed a more adult story line.

Coming up: Getting Mobotropolis back in order, including Queen Aleena being reinstated as ruler of the city. Sonia and Bartleby legally tie the knot. Will they live Happily Ever After in the mansion or will they choose to return to the floating island? Find out next time.

Fun contest: design Sonia's wedding gown or the wedding cake. Pictures can be sent to my gmail account (same screen name).


	20. Epilogue

AN: It may seem out of character for Knuckles to defend Robotnik but he had to be Bartleby's voice. In Sonic's eyes, Bartleby has very little credibility and none of it is in Robotnik's favor. Knuckles saw his friend hurting from his loss and so, for Bartleby's sake, he stood up for him.

Epilogue

Robotnik was buried in a quiet, private ceremony on the Montclair lands. Sadly, his life and death would be swiftly forgotten by most of the populace. But such is the fate of those who give in to the anger and bitterness and give way to wickedness.

Slowly, Robotropolis was reconverted back to Mobotropolis. Grudgingly, the aristocracy accepted Aleena back as queen, after she took responsibility for her late husband's actions that all but caused the war to begin with.

Sonic, Manic, and Sonia were formally named Princes and Princess. Sonic, being the first son, was named Crown Prince, heir apparent to the throne. Sonic, as heir to the throne, was put through a mess of tutoring to try and make up for his lack of classical education. He had to take courses in politics, etiquette, literature, fine arts, horse riding, and various others. He always had to look "dignified" and "cultured." Bartleby felt a sense of satisfaction as Sonic was put through the same education that he had as a child. Before, Manic and Sonia might have been put out at the inequality but the torture their brother was put through precluded any arguments.

Manic was put in charge of the royal treasury and made the speaker for the lower classes. Having grown up as a thief, in extreme poverty, he understood what they needed most. He went to work setting up orphanages for the children orphaned by the war. He set up trusts for those children from the treasury with his mother's encouragement so that the ones that were not adopted would at least enter adulthood with something. Instead of punishing thieves, he set up a program to get those caught back on track. They would no longer need to steal to survive. Of course there would always be those who insisted on crime as a way of life that he was forced to deal with in spite of his misgivings.

Sleet and Dingo were pardoned for their crimes in return for helping to save Sonia's children. They had feared that they would return to a business that was no longer needed now that Robotnik was gone. However, Aleena named Sleet "Captain of the Guards." She was ready to name Dingo his deputy but Bartleby had already offered him the well-paying job of bodyguard to their children (after Sonia told him about his kindness to her during the ordeal). Doing good had its advantages after all, Sleet couldn't help thinking.

Knuckles was also offered employment and a home in the palace but he graciously turned it down. He was more than willing and eager to help Mobotropolis get back on track but eventually he would have to get back to his role of Chaos Guardian. He did, however, accept Sonia and Bartleby's offer to be the twin's godfather. Sonic and Manic had been hurt that they weren't offered the position but they knew they had been less than supportive of their sister's relationship.

For the time being, Sonia and Bartleby lived at the palace under the supervision of Dingo to prevent any further hanky-panky (on Aleena's suggestion since Robotnik's death meant they didn't need to sneak around and could marry). Bartleby was given his own room and the twins given a nursery in which to sleep just off of Sonia's. The first night, he was surprised to discover that he couldn't sleep on the beautifully soft bed. He tossed and turned but just could not get to sleep. Could it be that his body had really gotten used to the sleeping bags and leaves of their island bed?

Their engagement was formally announced and celebrated with a lavish party as was the birth of their children. Sonic and Manic had conspired with the rest of the former Freedom Fighters (now the official defense force of Mobotropolis under Sleet's command) to throw Sonia a belated baby shower. Mindy's boss gladly made them a beautiful cake shaped like a diaper bag which Mindy paid for as a gift for her friends.

The aristocracy had originally pushed for Aleena to give the role of heir to Sonia but she declined. She was a mother now, her days were too busy to really go through the training that Sonic was.

With everything else that needed to be done for Mobotropolis and its people, the wedding plans were initially low on the list of priorities. However, as things were worked out in the city, Sonia and Bartleby somehow found a little time each day to plan the ceremony with the aid of her mother and brothers, and Knuckles of course.

* * *

So it was that the day finally came. On a lovely, summer morn, Sonia was laying out her gown of white with pink and blue silk roses trimming the hem of the ball gown-style skirt and the bodice with its sweetheart neckline. She was about to start combing her hair when the boys fussed for their breakfast from the nursery. As she fed them, she thought about her life. She wondered how it would have been if her mother had not given her to Lady Wyndemere? Would she still have met Bartleby? Would they still have fallen in love and had their precious children? She wanted to think "yes" but in her heart she ended up thanking Robotnik for forcing her mother to separate them. She didn't want to think of a life where she would never have known Bartleby.

"Knock, knock," her mother called as she entered.

"In the nursery, Mother." Sonia called from the rocking chair.

Aleena went into the nursery and placed a hand over her heart. She still couldn't get over the sight of her baby girl with her grandbabies. She'd missed so much of her daughter's life but she could make up for that with her grandchildren.

"Good morning my dear. I see these two are up early." Aleena said running her hand through the fur that was starting to grow on their heads.

"Yeah, I think they'd heard me up. I'll need to be getting ready shortly." Sonia said. "There's just a few hours before the wedding."

Aleena smiled. "Are you nervous?"

Sonia thought about it and shook her head. "You know, I thought I would be but I know I want to be with Bartleby for the rest of my life. There's no reason to be nervous."

"The Oracle is getting the chapel ready. He's having a lot of fun with this."

"I'm sure. He likes to use his magic."

Finally, the boys were done eating. "Well, I should start getting ready."

Aleena nodded. "The servants will take care of any other tasks."

* * *

A few days before the wedding, Bartleby had gone back to his mansion. It was bad luck to see the bride for 24 hours before the ceremony. He was getting ready in a newly made pink tuxedo. His hair, no longer in dreads, was pulled back into a neat ponytail. He looked in the mirror as he marveled at the blessings in his life. He had two beautiful baby boys and now he would publicly proclaim his love for Sonia and swear his life to her.

Knuckles, his best man, helped him to get ready. "So it'll be official after today. You'll be a legally married mink."

Bartleby smiled. "Yes, married to the most beautiful hedgehog on Mobius."

"Will you guys live in the palace, I guess?" Knuckles asked. He was returning to the island that evening. "The island will be lonely without you and Sonia."

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that..."

* * *

Sonia put on her dress with help from her mother and Maid-of-Honor Mindy.

"Oh Sonia, I got you this," Mindy held out a blue beaded bracelet. "This was mine but you can borrow it. That covers your 'something old, borrowed and blue.' You just need something new and a sixpence for your shoe."

Aleena held out her own gift for her daughter's special day. "This is your 'something new'."

Sonia took the pretty box and opened it. A pair of diamond earrings sparkled up at her. "Oh Mother, they're gorgeous." She took them from the box and immediately put them in her ears.

"Lastly, the sixpence." Aleena placed a coin in the bottom of her daughter's shoe.

"Come on, Sonia, we need to do your hair." Mindy pulled her best friend over to a chair so she could style her hair.

"The servants are preparing a private apartment for you and Bartleby." Aleena told her.

Sonia bit her lip. "Thank you Mother...but um, I needed to talk to you about that. I think Bartleby and I are going back to the island."

"Why dear?" Aleena asked.

"Well, we really liked the peace and quiet. The city's wonderful but after four months of living in the peace of the jungle, we got used to it. And Bartleby and Knuckles got to be good friends despite some tension in the beginning that I still don't quite understand." Sonia tried to explain her reasoning. "I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner but we discussed it and if Knuckles will allow it, I think it's for the best."

Aleena sighed. "Well, I had hoped you would stay. After all, we have 18 years to catch up on. And you'll be so far away."

"Mother, not too far. With Sonic's speed, you could be at the island in ten minutes. You can come visit anytime." Sonia reassured her mother. "On the island, we'll be able to live as we please. Dingo will be enough of a guard for the kids. They'll be able to grow and play without the pressures of being little princes."

"But it won't be very sanitary, living in a cave." Aleena tried.

"We'll build a house. Bartleby insists on indoor plumbing, he doesn't want dreads again." Sonia laughed.

Mindy giggled. "He did look ridiculous with that hair but the goatee was a nice touch."

"Yeah, I need to talk him into regrowing that, it was sexy." Sonia admitted. "Please Mother?" She returned to the topic at hand.

Aleena sighed with defeat. "Well, you are an adult, I guess I can't stop you if this is what you really want. But you have to promise that you'll keep at least the one bodyguard and you'll take lots of pictures."

A knock at the door preceded Sonic and Manic's entry.

"Five minutes sis..." Sonic gasped when he saw her. "Wow sis..."

Sonia smiled. "Do I look alright?"

"You look great!" Manic stated with exuberance. "Beautiful."

Sonia looked at Sonic who was suspiciously wiping at his eyes. "You okay there Sonic?

"Yeah," he said in a hurry. "I'm fine, I'm fine." He turned away. Sonia hugged her brother. "Now, you're sure this is what you want? You'll be happy with him? He is a noble."

Gently, Sonia slugged his shoulder. "Yes, Sonic. I love him and he loves me. We've wanted this from the beginning. Please, be happy for me."

He sighed. "I am. It was hard but I can see that he cares for you. You promise that if he ever does anything stupid, you'll kick his sorry ass?"

Sonia laughed at her brother. "Yes but I don't think I'll ever have to. Now you and Manic get to hold the kids during the ceremony. Their bottles have been filled and are in the diaper bag which is by the nursery door. There's also fresh diapers. Sit in the door closest into the door up front in case they cry and need to be fed or changed. There's also a pair of spit rags, extra binkies, let's see is there anything I've forgotten?"

Sonic took Basil while Manic took Brose and the diaper bag. "We got it sis. Don't worry, we can handle it. There's two of them and two of us, we're well matched." Manic said. "Come on kiddoes. Come sit with your Uncle Manic and Sonic."

Sonia rolled her eyes at her brothers' backs as they went to their seats. "Well, Mother, Mindy, I think it's time."

* * *

Sonic and Manic went into the chapel. Before going to his seat, Sonic stopped at Bartleby.

"Fair warning buddy, you hurt my sister and I will kill you." He whispered the groom.

Bartleby chuckled at the thought that he would ever hurt Sonia. "Don't worry Sonic. Keep your uncle in line, won't you sweetie? Bartleby stroked his son's cheek.

Sonic sat down but not before giving Bartleby a gesture that said "I'm keeping my eyes on you"

The organist played the traditional wedding processional as first came two young children. One little kitty-girl rose petals all over the floor and a little puppy-boy carrying a pillow upon which lay two rings. Behind them came Knuckles and on his arm was Mindy. Knuckles was dressed in a tuxedo of white as pink would have looked really bad on his red fur. Mindy wore a long, chiffon and charmeuse dress, cap sleeves covering her shoulders. In her hands she held a small bouquet of pink roses.

Outside the chapel, Sleet and Dingo stood in the outfits of royal guards on either side of the entrance. As Sonia approached the chapel, Dingo's jaw nearly hit the floor. He had always thought Sonia to be very pretty but now here came this goddess.

"Wow!" He breathed just loud enough for Sleet to hear. The wolf only rolled his eyes at his friend. Genteelly they both bowed as she walked past them.

Everyone stood as the intro chords to "Here Comes the Bride" played. Mr. LaTour offered her his arm as she entered. She had asked him to walk her down the aisle in place of the father she never knew or even met before she joined the Underground. As often as she saw Mindy as a child, the fox had been as much a father to her as he was to Mindy. She had made the request again while planning is ceremony and he graciously accepted. Her mother was already wanting just to be the Mother-of-the-Bride. There was plenty of time to be queen after.

Bartleby watched with wonder as Sonia was led down to him. His heart entered his throat. His mind replayed the trials had gone through. Their initial breakup when she joined the Resistance. Doing anything she asked of him in hopes that she would see that he didn't care about the danger, if he could only be with her, including sneaking her into the fake wedding Robotnik had staged and outright lying to him when necessity called for it. He remembered the night of the ball, when he had finally been successful in winning her back. He grinned as he thought of the many times they were together after that, particularly the night that had led to them creating his two miracles. What exactly had he done to deserve her? He didn't know but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

At the pulpit behind Bartleby, the Oracle sighed with reminiscence. He had always secretly watched the hedgehogs grow. Tears filled as his eyes as he struggled to attach his memory of the little girl who liked to climb on her adopted mother's stone walls and do gymnastics and play piano with the young woman coming down the aisle.

Finally after several moments, Mr. LaTour and Sonia reached the pulpit. The Oracle raised his hand, giving the motion for everyone to sit. Sleet and Dingo entered the room and closed both doors behind them. Two Freedom Fighters took their places outside.

"Marriage, the ultimate commitment of love. The promise that two people will love each other for as long as they live. When two units essentially join as one. It is a sacred union, one not to be taken lightly. Today we witness the commitment, promise and union of Sir Bartleby Montclair and Princess Sonia Hedgehog. Who gives this young woman to this young man?"

"I and her mother do," Mr. LaTour answered. He offered Sonia's arm to Bartleby and went to his seat beside Aleena.

"What is love?" The Oracle asked rhetorically of the crowd. "Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy or boast and is not vain. Love does not dishonor others and is not selfish. Love is not quick to anger and holds no grudges. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Love never fails." The Oracle looked at Bartleby. "Sir Bartleby Montclair, please repeat after me."

"I, Sir Bartleby Montclair, take thee, Sonia Hedgehog, as my lawful wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forth. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish till death do us part."

The Oracle smiled and looked to Sonia. "And Princess Sonia..."

"I, Princess Sonia Hedgehog, take thee, Sir Bartleby Montclair, as my lawful wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forth. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish till death do us part."

The Oracle wiped away a tear from his eye as he grinned and looked out upon the crowd. "If there is any among us with a reason as to why these ought not to be married, speak now or forever hold your peace." A few moments of silence went by. "May we have the rings please." The puppy brought the pink satin pillow over. "Sir Bartleby Montclair, place the ring about her finger and say..."

Bartleby took the simple gold band and placed it on her left ring finger with her diamond engagement ring that he had given to her at the engagement party. "With this ring, I thee wed." He recited, looking into those sparkling dark eyes that he loved so much.

The Oracle instructed Sonia to do the same. "With this ring, I thee wed."

The Oracle had to look away for a few seconds to wipe away a few more tears. "By the power vested in me, by the city of Mobotropolis, I hereby name you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." His lips trembled dangerously when Bartleby put his arms around Sonia and kissed her lovingly, passionately on the lips for everyone to witness. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Lord and Lady Bartleby Montclair. May you have a long and happy life together." As the chords for the recessional began, he began full on crying.

Sonia smiled sympathetically and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you Oracle, for everything."

She and Bartleby began their walk back up the aisle, this time together as mink and wife. The guests threw rice that had been given to them as they entered the palace in preparation for this moment.

* * *

That afternoon, the reception was still going strong. They had danced every dance together. Dinner had been served.

"Sis, Mom told us you and Bartleby were going back to the island. Are you sure?" Sonic asked. "Because if you wanted to stay with us, really we're okay with Bartleby now.

"Sonic, yes. Knuckles has said it's okay. We liked it there, it's a great place to raise our family. You, Manic, and Mom can come see us whenever you like. After the first week that is." Sonia said.

A tinkling sound got their attention. Knuckles was standing, a glass of champagne in his hand. "I would like to propose a toast. I only met Bartleby a few months ago but I've known Sonia a good deal longer. They are great friends. I had the blessing of watching the evidence of their love, both in her pregnancy and his willingness to give up a life of comfort in order to protect the ones he loved most. After only those few months, I know that he loves her with every fiber of his being and he is the only man she has ever loved at this magnitude. I know they will have a long, happy life filled with many more children and later grandchildren as they grow old together. A toast to the happy couple. Long may you love."

All around, the rest offered up their glasses. "Long may you love."

Everyone sipped from their champagne and a large 7-tiered wedding cake was wheeled out to the couple. Bartleby lovingly placed his right hand over Sonia's as they carefully cut together into the bottom tier of the cake. After placing the slice of the white cake, covered in white fondant and filled with chocolate and raspberry ganache, they fed each other from the slice. They placed the slice down and proceeded to cut slices for Aleena and Mr. LaTour before Mindy was passed the cart and knife to cut pieces for the rest of the guests.

* * *

As the afternoon got later, the party drew to a close. Sonia, who was now breastfeeding in a private corner of the room, yawned. Bartleby came over from where he'd been socializing with a few of the other lords.

"You getting tired my darling?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, very."

"Well, maybe after they're done eating, you should throw the bouquet and we can leave." He suggested. "We have our honeymoon to get to."

She smiled. "And Knuckles was alright with playing babysitter for a week?"

"Yeah, he was more than alright with it. He offered. We just need to pack the safety seats and the twins' things in his ship." He knelt beside her and rubbed the twins' foreheads. He loved the feeling of being a father and couldn't get enough of looking at the two of them. He had made these.

"Tell you what, it was no trick packing enough milk for them for a week." She laughed. "Good thing they know how to eat from a bottle."

She replace the top of her dress and stood up. "Come on, lets go give them to Knuckles and get ready." She kissed her husband. The kiss lasted for several moments until they needed to come up for air.

"Hmm, maybe we should go ahead and get started on a baby sister for these two," he suggested with a husky chuckle.

Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Perhaps..."

Together they returned to the crowd. Knuckles, who was talking animatedly with Manic, took the twins with delight.

Mindy called out to the crowd at the signal that she and Sonia had prepared earlier. "Alright, can I have all the eligible young ladies stand in a group up front here?"

The young ladies gathered around Sonia who turned around. She heaved her bouquet of pink and white roses behind her. The bouquet sailed over the crowd of ladies and landed at the foot of her younger brother.

Confused, Manic bent down and picked it up. "Um, who wants it?"

"Not how it works, Manic. It's all yours." Mindy giggled.

Everyone laughed as the single men took the place of the disappointed but amused ladies. Bartleby gracefully removed the white garter from his wife's leg and turned around, putting his back to the men, before throwing the garter over his shoulder.

Knuckles, who was still laughing at Manic, was startled when the garter went around his glass of champagne and around his wrist. "Um..." He hadn't entered the crowd. He doubted he would ever find someone to love, like he had Sonia and hadn't planned on trying.

Manic returned the laughter his friend had given him tenfold. "Well, if the superstitions are correct this means you and I are the next to get married big boy." Jokingly, Manic kissed Knuckles on the cheek, earning him a not-too gentle, yet not too rough punch from the echidna. But the look Knuckles gave him was one of bewilderment.

Applause alerted the two that the couple was getting ready to leave. Aleena had promised to get everything the kids needed into Knuckles plane when he was ready to take them to their new home. She resolved to ask Knuckles to stay an extra week, until Sonia and Bartleby came back. He shouldn't be alone on an island with two children, even with Dingo there to help if needed. Neither knew how to care for a baby.

Sonia and Bartleby went outside where waited the plane that Mr. LaTour had given them as a wedding and baby shower gift. Tied to the bumper were bells and streamers and a banner saying "Just Married."

"Bye Mother, Sonic, Manic," she hugged each of them in turn, followed by Mindy and Mr. LaTour. "We'll see you back on the island in a week, Knuckles."

Bartleby shook hands with a more civil Sonic and a friendly Manic. "Don't you two boys worry about a thing. Your sister is well in-hand, I promise." He was surprised when Aleena hugged him, already accepting him as a third son. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

She clicked her tongue at him. "Call me Mother, dear. We're family now. Now, you two have a good time, be safe."

"We will Mother," Sonia promised before turning the key in the ignition and taking off into the sky before them.

* * *

Sonia Hedgehog had many titles. "Daughter of Queen Aleena," "triplet sister of Sonic and Manic Hedgehog," "freedom fighter." However, if you asked her which title she liked best she would give you two. "Lady Montclair, wife of Lord Bartleby Montclair" and "Mother."

Fin

* * *

AN: Finally, after five months, and 18 chapters, this story is at an end. Yes, I was implying a possible relationship between Manic and Knuckles. However, since they are not main characters in this, I didn't go into detail. A relationship between them would have brought nothing to the table in this story since it was not about them. Sonic was named crown prince because no matter what the show tried to say in an earlier episode, multiple heirs is not how a monarchy works. In the case of multiples, an heir is chosen from the multiples and it's typically the first son out of the womb. That would be Sonic. The aristocrats wanted Sonia because a) she was raised with culture and thus wouldn't need as much training as Sonic, b) she was with Bartleby and c) she already had children and thus securing the family line. She declined for the reasons stated above. I like using Mr. LaTour as an almost adopted father for Sonia because well, he seems like the only other older male figure in her life besides the Oracle (and he was officiating). I also envision that Queen Aleena and Mr. LaTour might start up a middle-aged romance.

If I was to do a sequel to this, what would you hope to see?

Thank you so much for reading over the last several months. I think this is a record. 5 months. Normally it would take me a few years minimum but I did it in five months. Wow.


End file.
